War criminals belong in court, not at UN: Erdoğan

ISTANBUL

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan called on Sept. 26 for Israeli officials wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) to face trial, condemning the killing of civilians in Gaza and Lebanon.

Erdoğan was speaking at the closing ceremony of the 21st MÜSİAD EXPO trade fair and the 29th International Business Forum at Istanbul Expo Center.

“The place for war criminals wanted by the International Criminal Court is not the United Nations podium, but the courtrooms where they will answer for the murders they committed and the blood they shed,” Erdoğan said.

He praised diplomatic delegations that walked out during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to the U.N. General Assembly, saying their protest showed that Palestinians were not alone.

Netanyahu faces an ICC arrest warrant over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Erdoğan accused Israel of genocide and said Türkiye would continue to defend Palestinian rights.

He warned that leaving those responsible unpunished would allow similar atrocities to recur.

“Whatever they do, we will not back down,” he said.

Erdoğan also criticized the international system over its legitimacy, representation and ability to deliver justice, saying regional crises were affecting trade, energy supplies and food security.

On artificial intelligence, he said AI and robotics were reshaping production and consumption, but warned that technological advances could cause widespread harm if competition took precedence over human values and business ethics.

He urged government, businesses, academia and civil society to examine these risks.

Turning to the economy, Erdoğan said Türkiye had recorded 24 consecutive quarters of year-on-year growth, with output expanding 2.3 percent in the second quarter of 2026.

Goods exports in the 12 months to August exceeded $280 billion, he said.

He estimated combined goods and services exports at $405 billion over the same period.

Erdoğan said the government was working to ease businesses’ access to financing, adding that Türk Eximbank had provided nearly $44 billion in export support in the first eight months of the year.