Türkiye condemns Israel’s attempts to discredit Erdogan’s meeting with ICC Prosecutor Khan
President Erdogan (R) meets with the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Karim Khan (L) at Turkish House in New York, U.S. on September 23, 2024. (AA Photo)
Türkiye has condemned Israel’s remarks regarding President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s meeting with International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor Karim Khan on Tuesday. The Turkish Foreign Ministry characterized Israel’s statement as “an effort to cover up the genocide it is committing.”
Erdogan met with Khan on Monday during the U.N. General Assembly in New York. In response to Israel’s accusations against the Turkish president, the ministry asserted that such claims reflect Israel’s “guilty conscience.”
Ankara reiterated its commitment to holding Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government accountable for their actions. “Türkiye will continue to stand by the innocent Palestinian people and all its friends and brothers in the region during this process,” the ministry stated.
On Tuesday, Netanyahu criticized Khan for engaging with both Erdogan and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
Khan had previously requested arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in May, citing war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza Strip. He has since sought to expedite these warrants, most recently in August.
Israel’s ongoing offensive in Gaza has continued since a cross-border attack by Hamas last October, despite a U.N. Security Council resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire. According to local health authorities, over 41,400 people, primarily women and children, have been killed, with more than 95,500 injured.
The Israeli military campaign has displaced nearly the entire population of Gaza, exacerbating a humanitarian crisis marked by severe shortages of food, clean water, and medicine.
Additionally, Israel faces allegations of genocide at the U.N.’s International Court of Justice. It is important to note that the ICC and the International Court of Justice are distinct entities.
