Communications chief accuses Israel of 'genocide'

ANKARA

Türkiye's Communications Director Fahrettin Altun on Wednesday accused the Israeli government of struggling to divert attention from its "genocide" of Palestinians. 

On X, Altun claimed that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is attempting to justify his government's actions – indiscriminate killings, war crimes, and blatant disregard for international law – by insisting that his cause is righteous.

"The current Israeli government is trying hard to distract from its genocide against Palestinians. The Israeli Prime Minister dares justify his government’s indiscriminate killings, war crimes and defiance of international law by claiming just cause. Nobody, including many Israelis, buys this story anymore. Netanyahu has been using the October 7 (2023) attack as an excuse for murdering Palestinian civilians and pushing them out of their lands," he said.

He further criticized Netanyahu for making baseless accusations against International Criminal Court (ICC) Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan, following Khan's meetings in New York with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğam and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, on the sidelines of this week’s UN General Assembly.

"Today, he is panicking that the case against him at the ICC is going to catch up with him. Some Western governments’ diplomatic protection will not guarantee him freedom from prosecution under international law. The Israeli government is already guilty in the eyes of most of the world. ICC investigation will only confirm what is already known. Trying to delegitimize this case can only work for a handful of Western governments who are complicit in this genocide," Altun added.

Rebuffing Netanyahu's accusations that the ICC is unfairly targeting Israeli leaders as war criminals. Altun stressed that history has already judged these actions, and it is only a matter of time before they are held accountable.

He argued that being elected does not grant legitimacy to carry out ethnic cleansing, highlighting that under Netanyahu’s leadership, over the past year more than 42,000 civilians have been killed, millions displaced, and hundreds of journalists slain.

Altun also criticized Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, which has dropped over "70,000 tons of bombs in six months, equivalent to several nuclear bombs."

He reaffirmed Türkiye’s commitment to seeking justice for Palestinians and stated that they will continue to fight for peace and freedom in the region.