Several nonprofit organizations are expecting a turnover of hundreds of thousands of people on Oct. 6 for a march against Israel and in support of Palestinians. The “Rebellion Against Genocide, Support to Palestine” march will start at Kurtuluş metro station of the capital.
It aims to highlight the humanitarian crisis Palestinians face due to attacks by Israel since last October and support the people of Gaza.
The Ankara Palestine Solidarity Platform, an umbrella group of nonprofits, is organizing the march that will conclude at Anadolu Square in the capital, where speeches will be held.
Ismail Mansur Özdemir, one of the organizers, told Anadolu Agency (AA) on Wednesday that they were witnessing the worst genocide in mankind’s history in Gaza. “This is genocide where some 41,000 people, mostly women, children and the elderly, have been slaughtered. This is a genocide by Israel and its comrades the United States, United Kingdom and others,” he said.
“Mankind stood up against genocide but could not prevent it. Today, we live in a world divided between the Zionist front opposing the conscience and humanity and peoples of the world possessing the conscience, compassion and morals. Thank God, our nation is in this second group,” he said.
The Turkish public has been vocal in criticism of Israel and for weeks, staged demonstrations against Israeli oppression of Palestinians. Though demonstrations are less frequent now, nonprofit groups occasionally stage mass rallies in big cities while a boycott of brands endorsing Israel grew. The Ankara Palestine Solidarity Platform has staged more than 400 protests and rallies against Israel so far.
“The Turkish public sees Hamas and people of Gaza as National Forces,” Özdemir said, referring to Turkish forces fighting for independence after World War II. The platform convened some 200,000 people in a December rally in Ankara, hoping to gather more. “Around 30 civic society associations actively take part in this event and we have more than 300 associations supporting it,” he said.
Türkiye has been a vocal critic of Israel since the start of the war and a staunch defender of the Palestinian cause, including holding talks with Palestinian, Israeli and Hamas officials.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has called Israel a "terrorist state" and accused it of carrying out a genocide in Gaza. He has expressed full support for Hamas and rejected the Western stance of classifying it as a terrorist organization.
Türkiye has also dispatched tons of aid to Egypt for delivery to Gaza, either by military planes or vessels.
