Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan considered the International Court of Justice’s decision regarding the genocide in Gaza a reflection of the slogan he always repeats that “the world is bigger than five.” He called on Israel to stop its attacks and massacres immediately.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday that the International Court of Justice’s decision to prevent genocide in Gaza echoes the slogan “the world is bigger than five” that he constantly repeats.
This came in a speech delivered by President Erdogan, during the ceremony announcing the Justice and Development Party’s candidates for the local elections at the level of regional mayors in the state of Izmir (west).
President Erdogan noted the increasing importance of Turkey's role at the global and regional levels in recent years.
He added that Türkiye is doing everything it can to end the Russian-Ukrainian war with peace.
Erdogan explained that Turkey pays attention to every development in the Balkans and the Caucasus, as well as the expansion of the comprehensive network of relations it has established, starting from Central Asia to South Asia, and from Europe to Africa.
He stressed Turkey's stance against the oppression, massacres and inhuman atrocities committed by Israel against the Palestinians in Gaza.
Erdogan pointed out that "the decision of the International Court of Justice yesterday (Friday) is a reflection of our cry that the world is bigger than five."
He called on "Israel once again to listen to the voice of the international community and international institutions, and to stop its attacks and massacres immediately."
Yesterday, Friday, Erdogan welcomed the court’s decision, and added: “We will continue to follow measures to ensure that war crimes committed against innocent Palestinian civilians do not go unpunished.”
The International Court of Justice ordered Israel to take measures to prevent genocide against the Palestinians and improve the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.
The decision was issued during a session held by the International Court of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands, to decide on South Africa’s request to take precautionary measures in the “genocide” lawsuit filed against Israel.
Palestine calls for not suspending UNRWA funding and Hamas: Israel is inciting against relief for our people
Palestine called on some countries that decided to temporarily suspend new funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) to “immediately” retract the decision, which Israel immediately welcomed, while Hamas considered it a continuation of allegations of incitement against relief institutions.
The decision of some countries to temporarily suspend funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) sparked angry reactions, and Palestine called on those countries to immediately rescind their decision, while the Hamas movement considered it “incitement” by the occupation against international organizations working to provide relief to the Palestinian people.
On Saturday, the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates condemned “in the strongest terms” what it called “the systematic campaign of incitement practiced by the Israeli government by more than one Israeli official against UNRWA.”
It also warned that the “Israeli campaign” aims to liquidate “UNRWA,” stressing that “this incitement is premeditated and preconceived to liquidate the refugee issue and their rights.”
She stressed that hostility to the agency "clearly emerged during the genocidal war against our people in the Gaza Strip, whether through public statements or by targeting UNRWA, its officials, headquarters, institutions, capabilities and cadres."
The Palestinian Foreign Ministry "expressed its astonishment at the decision before the completion of the United Nations investigations," demanding its immediate retraction, in line with the law and legal procedures followed.
She called for the occupation’s allegations, “if proven,” not to be unfair to UNRWA and its high-level humanitarian powers and tasks, especially since any mistakes that may be committed do not reflect the agency’s policy, nor the directives and instructions of its officials, nor its line and the credibility of its work in serving Palestinian refugees.
The Secretary of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization, Hussein Al-Sheikh, warned on the “X” platform that the decision “involves great political and relief risks.”
The Sheikh called on the countries (he did not name them), which announced they would stop supporting UNRWA, to immediately reverse their decision, and said: “At this particular time and in light of the continuing aggression against the Palestinian people, we are most in need of supporting this international organization and not stopping support.” And help for and from her.”
On Friday, UNRWA announced that it had opened an investigation into allegations of the involvement of a number of its employees in the attacks of last October 7.
Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General of UNRWA, said in a statement: “The Israeli authorities provided UNRWA with information about the alleged involvement of a number of UNRWA employees in the horrific attacks on the Gaza Strip on October 7th.”
He continued: "To protect the agency's ability to provide humanitarian assistance, I have taken the decision to immediately terminate the contracts of these employees and begin an investigation in order to find the truth without delay."
Occupation allegations
On the other hand, the occupation welcomed the decision, and the Israeli Foreign Minister, Israel Katz, claimed that some UNRWA employees participated in the Hamas attack on southern Israel on October 7.
He said, in a statement published on his account on the “X” platform on Saturday: “We have been warning for years that UNRWA is working to perpetuate the refugee problem, pushing peace away, and acting as a civilian arm for Hamas in Gaza.”
He continued that his ministry intends to adopt a policy that “would ensure that UNRWA would not be part of the next day in Gaza and that other parties would take its place.”
Hamas condemns Israeli incitement
For its part, Hamas condemned, on Saturday, "an incitement campaign launched by Israel against UN institutions" that contribute to providing relief to the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.
She pointed out that "the hollow accusation against the World Health Organization of what they called 'collusion' with the Hamas movement is a repetition of a false allegation regarding the movement's use of hospitals in military operations."
She continued: "The incitement against UNRWA aims to cut off its funding and deprive our people of their right to the services of these international agencies."
The movement called on the United Nations and international institutions not to give in to the threats and blackmails of the Israeli entity, which seeks to "cut off the lifelines of our people."
She stressed the importance of the role of these agencies "in providing relief to our people, and documenting the crimes of the occupation, which exceed the most horrific crimes known to humanity in our modern era."
On Friday, the World Health Organization rejected Israel's accusations that it is "complicit" with Hamas and "turns a blind eye" to the suffering of Israeli detainees in the Gaza Strip.