Turkish president calls on Israel to heed to voice of int'l community, enforce immediate cease-fire

ISTANBUL

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan welcomed on Saturday the recent ruling by the International Court of Justice against Israel, stating that it reflects the sentiment that ‘the world is bigger than five.’

"The decision taken by the International Court of Justice yesterday echoes our motto that 'the world is bigger than 5'," Erdogan said.

"We once again call on Israel to heed to the voice of the international community and institutions and to immediately cease its attacks and massacres,” he added.

South Africa dragged Israel to The Hague-based ICJ on Dec. 29 on charges of genocide against Palestinians.

On Friday, the ICJ found South Africa's claim that Israel is committing genocide plausible. The court issued an interim order urging Israel to stop obstructing aid deliveries into Gaza and improve the humanitarian situation.

After the ruling, Erdogan welcomed the interim decision by the ICJ, describing the provisional measures issued as "valuable."

"We will continue to follow the process to ensure that war crimes committed against innocent Palestinian civilians do not go unpunished," Erdogan said.