President Erdoğan spoke at the opening of the World Islamic Scholars Consultation Meeting

 

Addressing the World Islamic Scholars Consultation Summit, President Erdoğan said: “We have been exerting intensive efforts to stop the bloodshed in Gaza and prevent Israel’s attacks. Türkiye is the top provider of humanitarian aid to Gaza, dispatching nearly 54 thousand tons of aid.”

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke at the World Scholars Consultation Summit in Istanbul.

“ISRAEL CONTINUES TO SHED INNOCENT PEOPLE’S BLOOD”

Noting that one of the most atrocious massacres in human history has been taking place in Gaza since October 7, President Erdoğan said: “Israel, which has constantly been enlarging its territories through occupation, oppression and thuggery since its establishment, continues to shed innocent people’s blood. 15 thousand children have been brutally massacred so far. Our 35 thousand Palestinian brothers and sisters, mostly women and civilians, have been martyrized, and 80 thousand wounded. Nearly 2 million people have been forcefully displaced from their homes. Gaza, which had already been an open-air prison prior to October 7, has turned into a concentration and annihilation camp for the past 219 days the sole example of which was seen during Hitler’s Germany. We have witnessed such scenes that words fall short of describing them. Bombs have been poured down on hospitals, places of worship, schools and civilian residential areas that are all untouchable even in wartime. All the principles, laws and redlines relating to human rights and freedoms have been trampled upon before the eyes of the world.”

“GAZA SERVES AS A LITMUS TEST FOR THE VALUES PROPAGATED FOR DECADES”

Stressing that 150 journalists as well as UN workers and humanitarian aid personnel have also been targeted in Gaza, President Erdoğan drew attention to the brutalities and atrocities committed in Gaza and occupied Palestinian territories over the past 219 days.

Noting that Gaza serves as a litmus test for the values propagated for decades, President Erdoğan said: “The true face of the international system and institutions has been laid bare. We have seen so much in the meantime. We have seen countries that constantly lecture us about human rights and freedoms openly supporting the murderers of 35 thousand Gazans. We have seen international media outlets not uttering even one single sentence about the 150 journalists whose blood has been shed by Israel. We have seen the United Nations failing to protect the lives of Palestinians, let alone protect its own workers. We have seen those who consider the right to protest as sacred not tolerating the rallies held to support Palestine.”

“WE HAVE BEEN EXERTING INTENSIVE EFFORTS TO STOP THE BLOODSHED IN GAZA”

President Erdoğan continued his remarks as follows: “We have seen those who distort the truth, keep silent, tell lies, and play into the hands of the Israeli propaganda just to avoid being labelled as anti-Semitic. In the face of this alarming scene, we as Türkiye have been in full solidarity with the Palestinian people since day one. We have been exerting intensive efforts to stop the bloodshed in Gaza and prevent Israel’s attacks. Türkiye is the top provider of humanitarian aid to Gaza, dispatching nearly 54 thousand tons of aid. We have been sending 127 tons of clean drinking water to Gaza every week, where water resources have been destroyed by Israel. We have been providing treatment to over 400 sick and wounded Gazans, including cancer patients, at hospitals in our country. We have been sending benevolence ships to the region at regular intervals. We have been providing all kinds of support to Palestine despite the global Zionist network’s intimidation attempts.”

“WE HAVE HALTED ALL TRADE WITH ISRAEL”

Stressing the Türkiye is in close contact both with the Palestinian government and the Hamas leaders, President Erdoğan stated: “In addition to humanitarian aid, we have taken many steps in the areas of diplomacy, trade and law in order to step up the pressure on Israel. In the first phase, we imposed restrictions on exports to Israel in 54 product groups. Subsequently, we have halted all trade with Israel to force Israel to declare ceasefire and allow the passage of more humanitarian aid. With the decision we have taken, we have renounced $9.5bn trade volume. By becoming a party to the genocide case filed against Israel at the International Court of Justice, we aim to make sure murderers are held to account.”

“ISRAELI ADMINISTRATION KNOWS NO RULES OR LIMITS”

Noting that Israel is not attacking the Palestinian territories for the first time, President Erdoğan said: “Israel is not committing genocide against the Palestinian people for the first time. We have been witnessing Israel’s aggressions almost every day since 1948. The policies of occupation and massacres, which started 76 years, has since been escalating day by day. Zionist expansionism considers itself to be entitled to usurping the lands of Palestinian people and, if need be, shed the blood of innocents. They are blinded by the dream of promised lands. To make this dream come true, the Israel administration knows no rules, limits, or ethics. We cannot expect humanity from those who act like a bloodthirsty terrorist organization rather than like a state bound by international law.” 

“IT IS FUTILE TO EXPECT THE MASTERS OF THE GLOBAL SYSTEM TO PUT PRESSURE ON ISRAEL”

Pointing out that Western countries continue to turn a blind eye to the ongoing genocide in Gaza and support Israel by using Hamas as an excuse, President Erdoğan said that what has occurred in the past 219 days has made it clear that it is completely futile to expect the masters of the global system, except conscientious nations and societies, to put pressure on Israel.

Stressing that Israel’s response to Hamas’ approval of the ceasefire proposal on Monday has been to attack the innocents in Rafah, President Erdoğan underlined that neither Europe nor the U.S. has not taken any decisive steps to enforce Israel into a ceasefire.

“WE CALL UPON ALL COUNTRIES THAT HAVE NOT YET RECOGNIZED THE STATE OF PALESTINE TO RECOGNIZE IT”

Noting that Israel’s collaborators sided with Israel in the latest vote at the UN Security Council, vetoing Palestine’s full membership, President Erdoğan added: “However, the resolution adopted the previous day with 143 countries’ votes in favor and 25 abstentions reveals how lonely Israel and its collaborates actually are. This decision will enable our Palestinian brothers and sisters to carry out their works at the United Nations with larger rights and benefits.”

Calling upon all countries that have not yet recognized the State of Palestine to recognize it without delay, President Erdoğan further stressed that Türkiye will continue to defend its Palestinian brothers and sisters with all its means and that it will not let Israel silence every conscientious voice with the stick of antisemitism