World Bulletin / News Desk

An Israel-based organization has launched a case against Turkey to the International Criminal Court (ICC) regarding Turkey's 1974 operation in Cyprus.

The Israeli non-governmental ogranization has stated that the case has been initiated in retaliation for Turkey's case against Israel for its murder of ten Turkish citizens in international waters during a raid on the Gaza-bound Mavi Marmara aid flotilla in 2010.

The case, which has been launched by the Israeli law firm Shurat Hadin on the approach of Turkey's military operation in Cyprus on July 20, 1974, five days after Greek Cypriot EOKA rebels conducted a coup on the constitutional government, accuses Turkey of war crimes.

Turkey is also accused of drastically increasing the Turkish population of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) with settlers from Turkey since 1996, resulting in half the population in the TRNC today being Turkish settlers whereas the other half are Turkish Cypriots.

Turkey has maintained its military presence in the northern part of the island of Cyprus since exercizing its right as a constitutional guarantor of peace after the EOKA coup in 1974 put the lives of Turkish Cypriots, who had been forced to flee into enclaves, at risk.

After years of failed peace talks, the Turkish Cypriot government declared the independence of the TRNC in 1983, but went unrecognized by all except Turkey.

Four decades on, ongoing peace talks have been unable to reunite the island. Ten years after the failed Annan plan referendum, which failed to lead to unity after the vast majority of Greek Cypriots voted against reunification, peace talks were revived earlier this year.