Turkey vows to bring Israel to ICC over Gaza carnage, Tel Aviv says Ankara will be there first

Turkey suggested that Palestine appeals to the International Criminal Court over Israeli actions in Gaza, saying “crimes against humanity” should not remain unanswered. Tel Aviv said Turkey will appear there first.

“Israel should be taken to the International Criminal Court [over the killing of Palestinians]. Since third parties cannot do it, Palestine needs to initiate this,” Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told state broadcaster TRT Haber on Thursday, referring to the recent spike in violence in the Gaza Strip.

Ankara is now looking at what legal action can be taken against Israel, the diplomat said, calling the Israeli military’s use of live fire against civilians a crime. “This crime against humanity should be probed by an independent commission and Israel should account for its actions before the law,” Cavusoglu added.

Firing back at the Turkish statement, Yuval Steinitz, Israel’s National Infrastructure, Energy and Water Minister, said Turkey is “ripe” to appear in the ICC long before Israel. Recalling Turkey’s crackdown on Kurds, he told Israeli Kan Bet radio that “those who live in glass houses should not throw stones.”
  RT
 18/5/18