Turkey threatens UN action and ICJ advisory opinion over Gaza blockade, citing Mavi Marmara incident

blockade and will take action at the UN General Assembly to make sure that the matter is discussed in the International Court of Justice (ICJ). And finally, Turkey will extend full support to the families of the Mavi Marmara victims in their pursuit of justice from Israel. Some of these sanctions could be considered radical; however, some of these same actions, although with some slight differences, have been taken before in Turkey's relationship with Israel. Diplomatic ties between the two countries were severed in 1980s when Israel declared Jerusalem its capital, so this is not a first. The suspension of military agreements could be viewed as significant, but it should be noted that the two countries' military ties became stronger only in the 1990s, so it's not as though military cooperation between them has existed over a lengthy period. The emphasis upon taking measures to ensure safe navigation in the eastern Mediterranean is important because Israel assumes the right to take action in the area for its own territorial security. It is possible that the two countries could have an altercation if Turkey decides to take extreme measures in this regard. Of course, this does not necessarily mean that there will be a direct conflict, but the eastern Mediterranean could become a source of tension between the two states. The decision to seek adjudication on the Gaza blockade from the ICJ is also new, given the history of Turkish-Israeli relations, and it should be noted that this will not be easy to do. A decision by the court in such a case will not have a binding effect, as it will be an advisory opinion. Also, requesting an advisory decision from the ICJ requires a voting session at the UN General Assembly and a qualified majority vote on the issue. Turkey will need to make a great diplomatic effort to secure that majority. From Turkey's perspective, it could be said that the report undermines its foreign policy attitude with regard to this specific incident. The report could have provided legitimate grounds for HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_025000