Israel violating numerous legal and moral parameters, says Turkish deputy foreign minister

By Selman Aksunger

THE HAGUE (AA) - Türkiye's Deputy Foreign Minister Ahmet Yildiz has asserted that Israel is breaching numerous legal and moral parameters with its attacks on Gaza.

After representing the nation at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) where Israel is being tried for genocide, Yildiz told Anadolu: "There is no law that Israel is not violating. Unfortunately, there is no moral restraint either."

He said the world turned a blind eye to human rights violations when Israel was the perpetrator.

"While many rights and rules are discussed, unfortunately, they often do not hold sway or are not enforced when it comes to Israel. The real solution lies in Israel returning to international legitimacy. That is clear," Yildiz said.

Speaking about arguments presented by other countries at the UN court, he said they echoed Türkiye's position.

However, Yildiz expressed frustration that this stance cannot be implemented because of deadlock within the Security Council where five nations have veto powers.

Türkiye's presentation drew attention to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza and expressed hope that there would not be an operation in Rafah, he said.

It also emphasized the importance of preserving the status of Jerusalem and reiterated that East Jerusalem will be the capital of the Palestinian state.

"I also have to say this. Of course, East Jerusalem will be the capital of the Palestinian state. Any solution other than this would not be accepted in the Islamic world anyway. In fact, it is not accepted in the world," he said.

He criticized recent calls by some Israeli officials for allowing illegal entry into holy sites during the upcoming month of Ramadan, emphasizing that such statements contradict the International Court of Justice's interim measures order in the ongoing genocide case.

Referring to the "Zionist lobby," Yildiz stressed the importance of avoiding such provocations, noting their relevance to potential solutions and court rulings on genocide cases.