ISTANBUL - Turkey said on Saturday that it would apply next week for an
investigation by the International Court of Justice into the legality of
Israel's naval blockade of the Gaza Strip.
Speaking to Turkish
state-run television during a gathering of European foreign ministers in
Poland, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu also reiterated
Turkey's support for efforts to win recognition for a Palestinian state
through the United Nations.
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Friday, Turkey expelled Israel's ambassador and froze military
agreements with Israel after a UN report on the killing of nine Turks
during an IDF raid on a Gaza-bound ship a year.
The UN report concluded that the blockade was "a legitimate security measure in order to prevent weapons entering Gaza by sea."
Davutoglu said Turkey did not accept that conclusion, noting that it contradicted the UN Human Rights Council's findings.
"We
will start the application process to the International Court of
Justice within the next week, for an investigation into what the Gaza
blockade really is," Davutoglu told TRT news channel.
Turkey has
also said it will pursue criminal cases against officials responsible
for the killings of the nine Turks, one of whom was a US citizen.
"Israel
has to make a choice, the Arab Spring will bring about a significant
enmity against Israel if it fails to change its attitude regarding
regional issues," Davutoglu told TRT news channel.