Ankara rebukes Israel for attacking Erdoğan’s ICC Talks

ANKARA

Türkiye issued a strong condemnation of Israel on Tuesday in response to its criticism of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s recent meeting with International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor Karim Khan.

In a statement, Türkiye's Foreign Ministry described Israel's remarks as an attempt to "cover up the genocide it is committing."

Ministry criticized Israel's accusations against Erdoğan, suggesting they reflect a "guilty conscience."

Erdoğan met with Khan in New York on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly. 

Türkiye reaffirmed its commitment to holding Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government accountable for alleged crimes.

The ministry emphasized that "Türkiye will continue to stand by the innocent Palestinian people and all its friends and brothers in the region during this process."

On Tuesday, Netanyahu criticized Khan for having meetings with both Erdoğan and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

In May, Khan had requested arrest warrants against Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza Strip, urging the court in August to expedite the issuance of these warrants.

Despite a U.N. Security Council resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire, Israel has maintained a severe offensive on Gaza following a Hamas-led cross-border attack last October. The offensive has resulted in the deaths of over 41,400 people, mostly women and children, with more than 95,500 injured, according to local health authorities.

The conflict has displaced nearly the entire population of Gaza, with an ongoing blockade causing acute shortages of food, clean water, and medicine. In addition to the ICC's involvement, Israel faces genocide accusations at the International Court of Justice for its actions in Gaza.