Turkiye tells Israeli owners to 'hold onto its leash' amid tensions

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
5 Aug 2024 21:07
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Turkish Prime Minister Hakan Fidan announces plans to join South Africa's genocide case against "Israel" at the International Court of Justice.

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Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, right, speaks during a press conference with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan, left, at Tahrir Palace in Cairo, Egypt, Monday, August 5, 2024. (AP)

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan announced Turkiye's bid to join the genocide case against the Israeli occupation at the ICJ in The Hague.

"We will submit our prepared file to join the genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice at The Hague on Wednesday," Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said in a joint conference alongside his Egyptian counterpart in Cairo.

Fidan underscored that many of those who have condemned Russia's special military operation in Ukraine are now playing "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil" in the face of the Israeli occupation of Palestine.

The Turkish Foreign Minister also condemned the killing of the "chief negotiator in the Gaza cease-fire talks," calling it a "treacherous assassination".

Fidan also called on "Israel’s owners" to "hold onto its leash," cautioning that the region can no longer endure Tel Aviv’s "provocations", including its attacks in Lebanon and Iran, which risk further escalating the situation.

Ankara and Cairo have made every effort to prevent the spread of war in the region, the Turkish foreign minister said during the conference which marked the end of his two-day visit.

In turn, the Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty noted that the two officials "discussed the crisis in Gaza, as well as the situation in Libya, Sudan, Yemen, and the Red Sea," adding that "our message to the world is to work towards ending the war in Gaza and ensuring that aid reaches the enclave without conditions or obstacles."

On a different note, Abdelatty stressed that Cairo welcomes Ankara's readiness to address differences with Damascus "in a way that preserves Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity" and further emphasized Egypt’s support for "every sincere effort to reach a comprehensive settlement of the Syrian crisis according to the international framework."

Turkish FM describes aid blocking in Gaza as 'first phase of genocide'

"Israel's" practice of obstructing aid, executing relief workers, and allowing humanitarian goods to decay constitute crimes against humanity and the "first phase of the genocide," Turkiye's foreign minister said.

After visiting Egypt's el-Arish port and Rafah border crossing, Fidan expressed that "Israel's closing of the border gate, targeting aid convoys, killing humanitarian workers, blocking the evacuation of the sick and civilians, and causing the decay of thousands of trucks' worth of aid materials are crimes against humanity and constitute the first stage of the genocide being conducted on the other side of the border."

The Turkish foreign minister also encouraged the international community not to remain silent over "Israel's oppression", reminding the West, particularly the US, that if the slaughter continues, "humanity will be complicit in it."

The Israeli occupation recently took control of the Rafah border, frequently blocking the closely regulated gate in a deliberate attempt to prevent the passage of food, medicine, and basic necessities into Gaza, using famine as a weapon of war.