The fall of Gaza would constitute a deep wound for the unity of the Islamic world, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan warned on Wednesday, urging Muslim countries to raise their voices against the Israeli occupation.
“Breaking the blockade cannot be achieved through one or two countries, but through the steps and strategies created by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Arab League,” Erdoğan told journalists on his return flight from Algeria.
“We have to display the term’ team play approach’ often used in politics, in full. Breaking the blockade cannot be achieved only through bringing some aid into Gaza. A cease-fire has to be reached; the necessary aid needs to be brought to Gaza while the city laid to waste by Israel must be rebuilt through using several elements including economic, political, diplomatic, sociological and cultural,” Erdoğan emphasized.
He underlined that countries must force Israel to account for its actions and to abide by international law.
“The Islamic world must act with the spirit of unity to apply the decisions and stand behind the decisiveness it displayed in Riyadh,” Erdoğan added, referring to the recent OIC and Arab League meeting held in the capital of Saudi Arabia.
The final declaration of the OIC summit rejected Israeli claims that it is acting in “self-defense.” It demanded that the United Nations Security Council adopt “a decisive and binding resolution” to halt Israel’s “aggression.”
It also called for an end to weapons sales to Israel and dismissed any future political resolution to the conflict that would keep Gaza separate from the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
Erdoğan further described the acts and attacks of Israel on Gaza as “state and occupational terrorism” and “humanitarian crime, as well as genocide.”
Saying that he is hopeful, though, Erdoğan continued, “I hope that these pains are the labor pains of a Palestinian state and peace that the region has longed for years.”
Erdoğan said that Türkiye will work for the continued transfer of Gazan patients to the country and will discuss this issue in a potential visit to Egypt soon.
He also once again criticized the stance of the West, saying: “Except for one country, there is none that is embracing this issue among Western countries. Almost all European countries are silent. They have no intent to intervene to stop the massacre. Here, only the stance of Spain is positive.” He said that he would talk with Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez next week.
Since the first day of the conflict, Türkiye has been trying to facilitate diplomatic channels to push for a cease-fire amid incessant Israeli airstrikes, which killed thousands and destroyed hospitals, homes, schools, marketplaces, churches, mosques, refugee camps and more. Erdoğan has assured that Türkiye is ready to undertake responsibility if a regional security mechanism is established for the conflict and proposed a guarantorship model.
Turkish authorities are also working to bring crimes committed by Israel against Palestinian civilians before the International Criminal Court (ICC) through government agencies and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs).
On a question about the future of Gaza, such as calls for a U.N.-controlled Gaza, Erdoğan said: “Above all, everyone should acknowledge that Gaza is a Palestinian land. Although ancient lands of Palestinians have gradually been occupied by Israel since 1947, they will remain Palestinian lands.”
The President said although administrations of some countries are quiet in the face of occupation, the conscience of the people prevailed. “We see more people on the streets to support Palestine. I was recently in Germany, and there were demonstrations in Berlin. The same happens in Britain, outside the White House, in France and Latin American countries. The public conscience is alive, and even the streets of Israel see it. Everyone tells Netanyahu to go,” the President said, reiterating his earlier remarks where he said that the Israeli prime minister is a “goner.”
The President said some officials from other countries he met told him that Netanyahu should go, and he believed the current process would not continue in Israel. “By God’s will, Netanyahu will leave. He was already embattled in trials and he probably took this step (to attack Gaza) to save himself from that legal turmoil. Even Israelis (held captive by Hamas) call him to end what he caused,” Erdoğan said.
Erdoğan praised those protesting Israel. “They will be remembered well in history. Western society failed during the Holocaust. They turned a blind eye to massacres in Bosnia and Kosovo, in Iraq or Syria. But it did not happen this time. Governments acted as usual, but people thought differently and said no to this oppression. They see babies being killed in Gaza,” he said. “Politicians ignoring these calls will soon see how this reaction will turn against them (in elections). Their pro-Israel stance made leaders supporters of genocide in the eyes of their people,” he said. He said leaders should end this mistake before it is too late and, cut off support to Israel and start acting in line with international law, human rights and moral values. “They should not be complicit in these crimes,” he said.
On hostages held by Hamas, Erdoğan said he did not believe Hamas would harm those captives. “Israel holds a significant number of Palestinians captive, and Hamas works to save them,” he said.
Erdoğan stated that breaking the blockade on Gaza was not possible through the steps of a few countries, but the entire OIC and Arab League countries should unite to make joint efforts and develop strategies. “We need team play. Breaking the blockade does not mean getting limited aid to Gaza. We have to use economic, political, diplomatic, social, cultural leverage to maintain the cease-fire, bring sufficient aid to Gaza and put Gaza devastated by Israel back to its feet,” he said.
“We have to force Israel to account for what it did and comply with international laws. We have more blockades to overcome, like a ‘blockade’ in the U.N.,” he explained, referring to his oft-repeated criticism of the unfair influence of major countries in the international body that thwarts efforts to resolve the issue.
“We have to change people’s mindset and tell them what really happens in Palestine; we have to explain oppression by Israel that has been going on for decades,” he said.
“We have to end the fascist approach to matters that has no problem with deaths of Muslims and only care when Christian or Jewish people die,” he added.
“We need a new mindset that sees killing of people regardless of their religion as a problem,” he said. “We have another blockade that needs to be broken and it is on Palestine’s historical borders, right of self-determination for people there, their property rights, their right of life. A lasting peace is possible only by breaking all those blockades,” he said.
Erdoğan also sent a video message to an online summit of the G-20 on Wednesday and called on the G-20 leaders to "take an initiative in realizing a two-state solution" to resolve the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict as he decried Israel’s war crimes.
“The tragedy in the occupied Palestinian territories, particularly in Gaza, has now exceeded the limits of humanity’s tolerance,” Erdoğan said.
Türkiye is ready to take a role, including as a guarantor, with other countries in a possible new security structure in the Israel-Palestine conflict, he said.
"None of what is happening (in Gaza) can be explained with the right to self-defense. War crimes are crimes against humanity are clearly being committed there," Erdoğan added.
Israel has launched relentless air and ground attacks in the Gaza Strip following an Oct. 7 Hamas a
“Unfortunately, about 7,000 innocent Palestinian children could not see that day because the Israeli government deprived 14,000 civilians, including these children, of their 'right to life,' which is considered the most fundamental right. They forced Palestinians to emigrate from their homes; mercilessly bombed hospitals, schools and camps where they sought refuge in a last hope to escape death,” he said.
“Indeed, they have gone so far as to threaten to use a nuclear weapon, which they have consistently denied having until now. As anyone with some conscience will admit, none of these events can be explained by the “right of self-defense.” “War crimes and crimes against humanity are clearly being committed here. Those who carry out such acts should be held accountable in front of international law and the conscience of humanity. We in no way condone actions against civilians and consider them legitimate. I invite all the leaders here to react the same way to the civilian deaths, regardless of whether they are Israeli, Palestinian, Jewish, Muslim or Christian,” he told the G-20 leaders.
The Turkish president hailed a four-day humanitarian pause in the conflict as a “positive development.”
“I hope this step will result in a permanent cease-fire, which is our main focus and we expect it to be established as soon as possible, ultimately leading to peace,” he said.
“Recent events have once again brought to light the critical nature of establishing an independent Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders, with Al-Quds (East Jerusalem) as its capital, which will coexist harmoniously with Israel. In this regard, I urge you to take the initiative to establish a two-state solution,” Erdoğan also said.
Erdoğan said Türkiye was willing to take responsibility for guarantorship to resolve the conflict. He also noted Türkiye’s humanitarian work to help Palestinians. He urged G-20 leaders to take “the necessary steps to ensure an uninterrupted supply of humanitarian and medical aid, as well as their delivery to Gaza.”
