Türkiye welcomes the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) arrest warrant for Israeli Premier Benjamin Netanyahu but remains skeptical about its implementation.
"The ICC made a very appropriate decision. However, Netanyahu has never complied with previous rulings, and he will not comply with this one either," President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said while addressing a youth gathering in the southeastern city of Gaziantep, which was broadcast on national television on Sunday.
"Whether he complies or not, this ruling marks a victory for the honor struggle of countries opposing Israel," he added.
The ICC last month issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over war crimes and crimes against humanity tied to Israel's attacks in Gaza and the October 2023 incursion that spurred the country's genocidal offensive.
Türkiye is a fierce critic of Israel's now yearlong war on blockaded Gaza and its deadly push into Lebanon and Syria, accusing the United Nations of failing to sanction Israel over the conflicts and its Western allies of supporting its violent methods.
Israel has continued its devastating offensive on Gaza since an attack last year by Hamas, despite a U.N. Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire.
More than 44,700 people have since been killed, mostly women and children, and over 102,000 others injured, according to local health authorities.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for its deadly war on Gaza.
Erdoğan has branded Netanyahu the "butcher of Gaza" and compared him to Nazi Germany's Adolf Hitler. He also called on the U.N. to impose an arms embargo on Israel, which he said would be an "effective solution" to end the Gaza war.
The Turkish government suspended trade relations with Israel last May and applied to join a genocide case at the ICJ against Tel Aviv.
