Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the president of Turkey, issued a vehement rebuke of Israel’s military operations in Gaza, describing them as a campaign of “indiscriminate massacres” against Palestinians and lamenting the global silence surrounding the conflict. Erdogan decried what he referred to as “a state of utter madness” by the Israeli government while speaking at a gathering of parliamentary representatives in support of Palestine in Istanbul.
He made reference to the high number of civilian deaths, which included women, children, aid workers, and journalists. Erdogan stated,
“The Israeli government is massacring Palestinians without distinction.” “Gaza has been demolished to the point where not a single stone is still standing… a huge pile of debris that exceeds 50 million tons.”
Demand World Conscience Erdogan urged attendees to view the Palestinian cause as a moral and human rights imperative in addition to a political one. He stated, “This is a matter for every person of conscience, not just Muslims.” “At its core, the Palestinian cause is a struggle to be and remain human,” He emphasized that international inaction has exacerbated the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and questioned the silence of major media outlets, human rights organizations, and Western governments, which typically swiftly impose sanctions elsewhere.
“Where are the voices of the BBC, CNN? Where is international law? Where is the Universal Declaration of Human Rights?” he asked. “A global order that does not stand with the oppressed is doomed to be the toy of tyrants.”
Erdogan claimed, citing depressing statistics, that since October 7, 2023, over 60,000 Palestinians, the majority of whom were civilians, had been killed. He also spoke of: 212 journalists reportedly murdered, widespread targeting of medical professionals and support staff, a severe lack of clean water, food, and medicine, The infrastructure of Gaza was nearly destroyed completely. He said that Israel was trying to “normalize genocide” by labeling Palestinian resistance as terrorism and celebrating violence.
Erdogan praised the case of Israel at the International Court of Justice for genocide and insisted that accountability is essential to preventing further atrocities. He said, referring to Israeli leaders as “the murder gang,” and urging them to face justice, “Every crime left unpunished only emboldens the perpetrator.”
He made the very strong claim that the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Haram al-Sharif compound are holy places for Muslims and warned against trying to change their status. He also stated, “Al-Aqsa is our red line, and it will remain so for eternity, God willing.”
Erdogan said that Turkey had delivered more than 101,000 tons of aid to Gaza since the crisis got worse, and he promised to keep doing so despite the blockade. He reaffirmed Turkey’s support for the two-state solution, insisting on the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital based on the 1967 borders. And stated, “Palestine is for the Palestinians.” We will never allow any more people to be displaced. We will continue to support the Palestinian cause even if we stand alone.
Erdogan concluded by comparing Turkey’s support for the Palestinian cause to Turkey’s own struggle for independence a century earlier. In doing so, he portrayed Turkey’s support as being rooted in history, humanity, and justice.
