Turkey welcomes Palestine’s ICC move against Israel
- Middle East
- Anadolu Agency
- Published Date: 12:00 | 22 May 2018
- Modified Date: 06:17 | 22 May 2018
Turkey on Tuesday welcomed Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki's request to the International Criminal Court (ICC), seeking investigation into Israel's alleged war crimes.
Speaking at a ceremony in southern Antalya province, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said: "If Israel does not account for its terrorizing [actions], its heedlessness will continue. So, Israel should account for."
On May 14, at least 65 unarmed Palestinian demonstrators in Gaza were martyred -- and thousands more injured -- by intense Israeli army gunfire.
The protests had coincided with the 70th anniversary of Israel's establishment in 1948 -- an event Palestinians refer to as the "The Catastrophe" -- and the relocation of the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem, which took place the same day.
"Today, our brother, Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki has taken, what Israel has done, to International Criminal Court. We will not stop pursuing this," he said.
Al-Maliki on Tuesday requested the International Criminal Court to investigate Israel's settlement building and alleged war crimes.