Türkiye said on Thursday that it would suspend all trade with Israel until it allows aid to enter Gaza unhindered during its offensive against the terrorists of Hamas in the territory.
“Exports and imports to and from Israel have been suspended,” the Commerce Ministry said in a statement, adding: “Turkey will apply these new measures… until the Israeli government authorizes an uninterrupted flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza.”
On April 9, Turkey had announced that it would restrict exports to Israel in 54 product groups -among them steel, construction and electrical materials, machinery of different types or fertilizers and some chemicals- in response to the Israeli refusal for Ankara to airdrop humanitarian aid to Gaza.
As reported at the time by the Turkish Ministry of Commerce in a statement, the restrictions would remain in force “until Israel (…) declares an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and allows a sufficient and uninterrupted flow of humanitarian aid” to the Strip. .
The Turkish Foreign Minister, Hakan Fidanalso stated this week that Ankara will intervene in the case opened by South Africa against Israel before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for its offensive in the Gaza Strip.
“With this step, we hope that the process before the international Court of Justice move in the right direction,” he said this Wednesday during a press conference with the Indonesian Foreign Minister, Retno Marsudias reported by the Anatolia news agency.
At the end of January, the ICJ urged the Israeli authorities to adopt “all possible measures” to protect the Palestinian population of the Gaza Strip and facilitate the entry of aid to prevent the commission of a genocide, although the situation does not has improved on the ground.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry has described the South African Government as the “legal arm of Hamas.” “It works for the interests of this terrorist organization that operates among the civilian population of the Gaza Strip,” he indicated in mid-February.
The situation between Israel and the ICC has become increasingly tense, with growing concerns that the court will issue arrest warrants against senior Israeli military leaders and politicians for alleged war crimes committed in Gaza. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could be among the main objectives.
This perspective has generated a strong reaction from the Israeli authorities, who describe the possibility of having their leaders on the list of people wanted by the ICC as “an outrage of historic proportions.” Netanyahu openly accuses the court of trying to paralyze Israel’s ability to defend itself.
As reported by the BBC, the Prime Minister’s public comments suggest this could be up for discussion. The ICC has not confirmed the Israeli claims. However, the chief prosecutor Karim Khan He sent a strong message during his visit to the region last December. Khan toured the sites of attacks by the Hamas terrorist group on Israeli villages near Gaza and met with political leaders and families of Palestinian victims.
At the time, Khan condemned the violence suffered by civilians on both sides and promised to investigate, warning: “If you do not comply with international humanitarian law, do not complain when my office is forced to act”.
The ICC has been investigating the actions of Israel for the past three years, and more recently also those of Hamas. It has the power to charge and try individuals for the most serious crimes under international law. Previously, has issued arrest warrants against leaders such as Vladimir Putin, Muammar Gaddafi and Joseph Kony.
(With information from AFP, EP and EFE)
