ANKARA — In the latest signal of Turkey’s deteriorating relations with Israel, Ankara is asking the International Court of Justice to join South Africa’s genocide lawsuit against Israel.

Turkey’s ambassador to Holland submitted a declaration of intervention at the United Nations court at The Hague, Turkey’s state-run news organization, the Anadolu Agency, reports.

Turkey, a critic of Israel’s actions in Gaza, becomes the latest nation to seek to participate in the case.

President Erdogan has accused Israel of genocide, called for it to be punished in international courts, and criticized Western nations for backing Israel.

Israel has strongly rejected accusations of genocide.

“No country in the world is above international law,” a Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman, Oncu Keceli, said in a post on X. “The case at the International Court of Justice is extremely important in terms of ensuring that the crimes committed by Israel do not go unpunished.”

In May, Turkey suspended trade with Israel, citing its assault on Gaza. In contrast to Western nations that have designated Hamas as a terrorist organization, Mr. Erdogan has commended the group, calling it a liberation movement.

South Africa brought a case to the International Court of Justice late last year, accusing Israel of violating the genocide convention through its military operations in Gaza.

Israel contends that the war in Gaza is a legitimate defensive action against Hamas for their terrorist attack on October 7 that killed around 1,200 people and took 250 hostages.

Nicaragua, Colombia, Libya, Mexico, Spain, and Palestinian officials have sought to join the case. The court’s decision on their requests is still pending.

If admitted to the case, the countries would be able to make written submissions and speak at public hearings.

Preliminary hearings have already been held in the genocide case against Israel, but the court is expected to take years to reach a final decision.

Former allies Turkey and Israel have experienced a volatile relationship since Mr. Erdogan took power in 2003, marked by periods of severe friction and reconciliation. 

As recently as 2022 the Israeli president, Isaac Herzog, met at Ankara with Mr. Erdogan.

The war in Gaza has disrupted the most recent attempts at normalizing ties.

Turkey has been a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization since 1952.

Associated Press