President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Tuesday dismissed Israel's recognition of the 1915 events as so-called "genocide," accusing the Israeli government of attempting to deflect attention from its violations in Gaza while reaffirming Türkiye's commitment to strengthening its defense capabilities amid growing regional instability.
Speaking after a Cabinet meeting in Ankara, Erdoğan said Türkiye would not take seriously accusations from a government "whose hands are stained with the blood" of Palestinians, reiterating Ankara's long-standing criticism of Israel's genocidal conduct in Gaza.
"We do not give the slightest credence to the slander directed at our country by a criminal network whose hands are stained with the blood of 73,000 innocent Palestinians, most of them women and children, in Gaza," Erdoğan said, referring to Israel's recent recognition of the 1915 events as "genocide."
The president rejected allegations against Türkiye's historical record, saying the country's legacy was rooted in justice rather than oppression.
"There is neither genocide, nor massacres, nor oppression, nor colonialism in our history," Erdoğan said. "Throughout our thousands of years of glorious history, there has been only justice and compassion. We have always extended a helping hand to the oppressed, regardless of their religion, ethnicity or identity."
He added that those seeking to accuse Türkiye should instead examine their own history, arguing that attempts to target Ankara were aimed at diverting attention from Israel's "barbarity in Gaza."
Beyond foreign policy, Erdoğan emphasized that Türkiye was reinforcing its strategic capabilities in response to an increasingly uncertain global security environment and that the country was prepared for "all scenarios."
"In a world where the principle of 'survival of the strongest' is becoming dominant, we are preparing ourselves for every possible scenario," he said.
Highlighting advances in the country's defense industry, Erdoğan said Türkiye has become the world's 11th-largest defense exporter and is experiencing "the brightest period in its history" in naval shipbuilding.
He noted that Türkiye has exported more than 140 naval platforms worldwide and that more than 50 warships are currently under construction in Turkish shipyards.
Erdoğan also hailed the recent delivery of the domestically developed KAM-ROMAN corvette to the Romanian Navy, describing it as a milestone for Türkiye's defense industry.
"For the first time in our history, we exported a warship to a NATO and European Union member state," he said.
The president also highlighted Ankara's growing ambitions in the space sector, saying Türkiye is among only 11 countries capable of producing its own communications satellites.
He said work was continuing on the IMECE-2 and IMECE-3 satellites, the Göktürk-Y and Göktürk-3 reconnaissance satellites, as well as the Türksat-7A communications satellite, which he said would further strengthen the country's digital sovereignty and secure communications infrastructure.
"Those who have a footprint in space have a voice in the world," Erdoğan said, arguing that investment in satellite technologies had become a strategic necessity rather than a choice.
Turning to the economy, Erdoğan said Türkiye achieved a record $395.9 billion in goods and services exports in 2025 and announced that the daily limit for rediscount loans available to exporters had been increased from TL 4.5 billion to TL 5 billion to support businesses.
He also welcomed the latest labor market data, noting that unemployment remained at 8.2% in May, marking the 37th consecutive month in which the rate has stayed in single digits despite what he described as global economic turbulence caused by wars and geopolitical crises.
Erdoğan concluded by calling for national unity and criticized opposition parties for what he described as divisive political rhetoric, saying the government would continue serving all citizens equally regardless of their ethnic, religious or social backgrounds.
