President Erdoğan: We are starting to implement our controlled normalization calendar as of Monday
President and Justice and Development (AK) Party Chairman Recep Tayyip Erdoğan addressed members of the party during an online event held to exchange Eid al-Fitr greetings.
Pointing to the apparent decrease in the number of COVID-19 cases, critical patients and deaths as a result of the sacrifices made by citizens, President Erdoğan voiced his hope that the numbers would be further lowered by continuing to obey the measures, and said: “As we have promised our nation, we are starting to implement our controlled normalization calendar as of Monday.”
Stating that the details would be shared with the nation following the Presidential Cabinet meeting, President Erdoğan said: “Our intention is to act relatively cautiously until the end of May. We plan to ease the measures to a great extent as of June in a way to further relieve the daily life. I want my nation to rest assured that the sole purpose of the measures, the restrictions in particular, which we have introduced since March 2020, when the pandemic first spread to our country, is to protect the health, life and future of each and every one of our 84 million citizens.”
“WE ARE OBJECTING TO THE HANDS INTRUDING ON THE PRIVACY OF THE AL-AQSA MOSQUE”
Drawing attention to the attacks which had been continuing for years in the Palestinian lands and Al-Quds in particular, President Erdoğan said: “We are both worried and furious in the face of the oppressions of the terror state Israel, which can exercise his power over only innocent infants, helpless women and the wronged trying to protect their homes and properties. Turkey’s stance on this issue is completely a matter of principle. With whatever enthusiasm we yesterday supported the struggle Azerbaijan put up to save Nagorno-Karabakh and its lands under occupation, we are today taking action with the same feelings against the oppression going on in Al-Quds and the Palestinian cities. Just as we did not allow the terror corridor sought to be formed along our Syrian border yesterday, we are objecting with the same determination to the hands intruding on the privacy of the al-Aqsa Mosque today. Just as we did not allow the partition of Libya only last year, turn a blind eye to the abandonment of Somalia, on which everyone turned their backs, to its fate, consent to the annexation of Crimea and just as we raised our voice against the atrocity committed in Bosnia in the past, we will not tolerate Israel’s oppression today even though the whole world ignores it.”
Expressing his sorrow over the international community’s indifference towards the incidents taking place in Palestine and Al-Quds, President Erdoğan said: “Those who keep silent against or openly support with political concerns, ideological obsessions or with this and that insidious schemes and thus become a party to the blood Israel has been spilling and the disrespect it has been showing should know that it might be their turn one day. If we do not, without any delay, stop the aggression Israel has been displaying in Palestine and Al-Quds in particular, everyone will find themselves in the target of this brutal mentality tomorrow.”
“WE STAND READY TO ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY AND MAKE SACRIFICES FOR PEACE”
“This terror state, which has recklessly attempted to loot a city like Al-Quds that is home to holy places of Muslims, Christians and Jews alike, has already crossed all the lines,” President Erdoğan underscored, and went on to say: “Al-Quds is the entire world and the Muslims there are the entire humanity. It is the entire humanity’s duty of honor to object to the aggression Israel has been displaying in the Palestinian cities and Al-Quds. It has been seen that the whole world has gradually been plunged into the blood spilt and the sufferings experienced throughout history on these lands. We do not want the world to face the same nightmare once again at this period during which we have just entered the third millennium. We call on everyone, every state and every institution to immediately take action no matter from which faith, root or disposition they are. It is a must for the United Nations Security Council to quickly take the steps that will ensure peace and tranquility in Al-Quds pursuant to the resolutions adopted in the General Assembly. The Organization of Islamic Cooperation will also be denying its own existence unless it takes a concrete and effective stance without any delay. As Turkey we stand ready to actively support every initiative to be launched to this end within the United Nations as well as to assume responsibility and make sacrifices for peace.”
