The Palestinian Association for Human Rights (Witness) expresses its deep appreciation to the Republic of Türkiye, leadership and people, for its principled and courageous stance in confronting the horrific crimes committed by the Israeli occupation forces against the Palestinian people, particularly in the Gaza Strip, which under international law amount to crimes of genocide and crimes against humanity.
The announcement by Turkish Foreign Minister Mr. Hakan Fidan during the emergency parliamentary session today, Friday, regarding a complete severance of trade relations with Israel and the closure of Turkish ports to Israeli ships—including the prohibition of passage for ships carrying weapons and ammunition to the occupation or aircraft bound for Israel through Turkish airspace—constitutes a practical and advanced step in the framework of respecting the rules of international humanitarian law and international human rights law.
Witness affirms that this position reflects alignment with the obligations of states under the 1948 Convention on the Prevention of the Crime of Genocide, which obliges states to take all possible measures to prevent genocide and punish its perpetrators. It is also a practical implementation of the ruling of the International Court of Justice, which called on all states to prevent any support that contributes to the continuation of crimes committed against civilians in Gaza.
Witness calls on the rest of the world’s states, particularly Arab and Islamic countries, to take similar steps by boycotting the occupation economically and diplomatically, and to activate international legal mechanisms to hold occupation leaders accountable for the heinous crimes they have committed against civilians in the Gaza Strip.
We at Witness affirm that such practical positions contribute to strengthening international justice and lay the foundations for a genuine path to deter the Israeli occupation and protect the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, foremost among them their right to life, freedom, and self-determination.
The Palestinian Association for Human Rights (Witness)