UPDATES WITH MORE REMARKS BY PRESIDENT ERDOGAN
By Esra Tekin
ISTANBUL (AA) — Israel must face punishment for its actions severe enough to deter anyone "from considering such cruelty again," Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday.
"Israel must face the consequences of its actions, ensuring that the punishment serves as a stark deterrent against anyone considering such cruelty again," Erdogan told reporters on the plane returning from the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.
Erdogan also commented on an advisory opinion issued by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) that affirmed Palestinians' right to self-determination and ruled that Israeli settlements in occupied territories must be evacuated.
"I hope this decision and previous ones not implemented by Israel will bring an awakening in the international community," he said.
Stating that Israel has yet to comply with any of the ICJ's decisions "to date," Erdogan said this was due to Western support particularly from the US.
He reiterated that Türkiye, along with many other countries, is exerting pressure on the matter and will continue to do so, stressing the need to "stop Israel."
"It is our collective duty to ensure this," he said.
Supporting Israel and turning a blind eye to the systematic oppression that the Palestinian people have endured for years cannot lead to any meaningful progress, Erdogan added, urging the global community to stand "on the right side of history."
The Turkish president urged the US to exert pressure on Israel, withdrawing its support for "murderer" Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his associates to end the "oppression" in Gaza.
Israel "acts out of frustration" as it fails to reach its goals despite the atrocities it commits in Gaza, he said, adding that a "united and resolute response from the international community is what Israel least desires."
"We must unite against Israeli oppression and compel them to adhere to international law. This way, not only Gaza or Palestine but our region, engulfed in flames, can be spared getting dragged into major conflicts," he further said.
"The whole issue is for those who stand for justice against Israel's actions to unite, ensuring everyone stands alongside the decision of the ICJ. We can only disrupt this game with such a stance," he said.
"To end this oppression, it is necessary for the US administration to pressure Israel and withdraw its support from murderer Netanyahu and his associates," he added.
The top UN court ruled on Friday that Israel should end its occupation of the Palestinian territories "as rapidly as possible" while also calling on Tel Aviv to make full reparations for its "internationally wrongful acts."
The court found multiple breaches of international law by Israel including activities that amounted to apartheid.
Since Tel Aviv launched its brutal war on Oct. 7, over 38,900 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, most of them women and children, while more than 89,600 others are injured, according to Gaza’s local health authorities.