Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called on Israel to stop its bombing of Palestinian cities and the killing of Palestinians.
Erdogan said in a press statement last night: “The destruction of the Gaza Strip by ground and air attacks, the bombing of mosques, and the death of children, women, elderly and innocent civilians is absolutely unacceptable.”
He announced that Turkey is making the necessary preparations to secure the humanitarian aid that the residents of Gaza will need.
Erdogan stressed that Al-Aqsa Mosque is the first Qibla for Muslims and the city of Quds in which it is located has a special place in the hearts of the Turks, and that people of all origins and beliefs in Palestine, “which was the cradle of the oldest civilizations and human complexes, lived in peace and tranquility for centuries under the rule of our ancestors (the Ottoman Empire).”
He added: “Our ancestors treated the religious richness of the region with such care and attention that they wrote the phrase ‘There is no god but God, Abraham Khalil Allah’ on the gate of Hebron.”
The Turkish President also said: “But unfortunately this region has turned into a place full of blood, tears, tension, conflict and occupation after we were forced to leave it after World War I.”
He pointed out that “the injustice and oppression to which the Palestinian people are exposed, as well as the violations against the privacy of al-Quds, which includes the holy places of the three (heavenly) religions, especially Al-Aqsa Mosque, always put the region in a state of tension.”
He stressed that “the international community’s failure to fulfill its promises to the Palestinians has a very major role in exacerbating problems in this way,” noting that almost none of the recent resolutions of the United Nations and international institutions related to Palestine have been implemented.
The Turkish President stressed that it is clear that the problem in the region cannot be solved by continuous harassment of the Palestinian people, ignoring the safety of their lives and property, seizing their homes and lands, destroying their infrastructure, and hindering their development.
Erdogan said: “Such an approach will only lead to increased clashes resulting from worsening unrest and continued bloodshed on both sides, and ultimately make the search for peace always end in disappointment.”
The Turkish President explained that “Israel’s approach, which ignores the basic rights of the Palestinian people, also threatens the security of its people, as evidenced by the recent incident.”
He stressed that Turkey defends people without any discrimination, regardless of their religion or origin, adding: “Just as we are against the practices of the Israeli security forces and illegal settlers against the Palestinian people, including pressure, injustice, extrajudicial executions, and threats to lives and property, we are also against indiscriminate actions against the Israeli civilians.
He stressed that “entering into a spiral of violence only brings more pain,” and said: “Today is not the day of emotion and impulsiveness, but rather of moving with the mentality of the state, calm nerves, and compliance with human conscience.”
Erdogan indicated that he had intensified his diplomatic contacts in the last three days and that he had held two “very fruitful” contacts with his Palestinian counterpart, Mahmoud Abbas, and his Israeli counterpart, Isaac Herzog. He assured them of his deep sorrow over the killing of civilians, and of Turkey’s readiness to do its utmost to end the clashes and ensure calm as soon as possible.
He also stated that he discussed with the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati, and the Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim “about ways to stop the bloodshed.”
Source: National Iraqi News Agency