Addressing a meeting of the International Jerusalem Platform that brought together lawmakers from around the world in Istanbul, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Friday that Israel, which resorts to anti-Semitism accusations in the face of his criticism, “cannot chain up my heart, my resolve” for Palestinians.
Erdoğan said Türkiye would continue the “honorable, noble cause” of Palestinians. He said the Netanyahu administration was a modern-day "Pharaoh" and likened the Israeli Prime Minister to Hitler, adding that he would be remembered as the "Butcher of Gaza." "With belief that defending Jerusalem means defending humanity, peace, respect for different beliefs, we'll continue to struggle with determination," he said.
Erdoğan also criticized the U.S. Senate’s approval for a $25 billion aid to Israel and said the United States only caused the conflict to grow with its unconditional support to Tel Aviv.
Lawmakers from dozens of countries gathered in Istanbul for an event by the Turkish Parliament. Donning a scarf with the colors of the Palestinian flag, Erdoğan reiterated his commitment to the Palestinian cause and Türkiye's demands for the restoration of the identity of Jerusalem.
"As the descendants of our ancestors who rebuilt Jerusalem, which was burned and destroyed during the Crusades, and turned it into a land of peace for four centuries, we closely follow every negative and positive development in Palestine," he said, referring to the Ottoman rule of centuries in the city at the heart of the Palestine-Israel dispute. "Al-Aqsa Mosque is not only our first qibla but also a legacy of our Prophet and the prophets before him. No force can remove the love of Jerusalem from our hearts," he said.
The president lashed out at the Netanyahu administration for the "merciless killing of 35,000 Palestinians in the last 203 days." "They think they can cover up the crimes they commit in Gaza with their media and lobbying power. We will never bow to your threats and pressures," Erdoğan, who lamented the fact that the Islamic world "failed the test" in defending the rights of Palestinians, said. He also reiterated that Hamas, "falsely labeled a terrorist organization" is a resistance group.
Erdoğan also complained about criticism of his government despite what they've done for Palestinians, referring to claims of some political parties and an online defamation campaign on the alleged prevalence of Turkish-Israel trade relations and the sale of "jet fuel." He said on the contrary, Türkiye mobilized to help Palestinians, by delivering nearly 50,000 tons of aid with 13 planes and nine ships since the conflict erupted on Oct. 7, for Palestinians trapped in Gaza. "Türkiye is the only country implementing export restrictions on 54 products to Israel," he highlighted.
He also criticized the United States' unconditional support for Israel which only escalated the conflict. "When it comes to Israel, the West forgets about values such as democracy, freedom, law, freedom of expression, thought and press freedom," he also said, referring to the brutal suppression of pro-Palestinian protests across university campuses in the U.S.
