In his remarks released on Saturday, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan called upon the Security Council to probe Israeli war crimes, referring to the IDF counter-terror offensive in Hamas-controlled Gaza last year, Operation Cast Lead. He was responding to the report released by the United Nations Human Rights Organization’s Goldstone Commission, which accuses Israel of war crimes and possibly crimes against humanity.

Speaking from NYC, where he is attending the United Nations General Assembly, he stated his country will pressure the Security Council to follow-up on the commission’s report.

It was Erdogan who caused a political stir when he walked out of an economic conference in Davos during an address by President Shimon Peres, charging Israel with war crimes. The diplomatic row calmed down a number of weeks later as Turkey began feeling the economic ramifications of the fallout with Jerusalem, but it is evident that prime minister’s opinion and position remain unchanged, seeking to charge Israeli leaders and military commanders with war crimes. He told colleagues in NYC that he will push for “accountability” seeking to take the case against Israel to the International Court of Justice in The Hague.

Seeking to maintain his good standing as a promoter of peace, the Turkish leader added he remains willing to continue in his capacity as a mediator towards advancing peace talks between Israel and Damascus.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)