The Turkish Foreign Ministry on Sunday issued a lengthy statement after critics claimed Türkiye shifted its policy regarding support for the Palestinian cause. The ministry’s statement follows another on Saturday to counter reports that it did not support a joint statement by the Hague Group on Palestine.
“The recent allegations about Türkiye’s policy toward Palestine bear no relation to reality. We reject these politically motivated attempts to smear our support for the Palestinian people and mislead public opinion. Türkiye pursues an independent policy rooted in law and justice and has strongly condemned Israel’s genocidal crimes in Gaza. The fact that Israeli politicians repeatedly target our country only confirms the correctness of our stance. Contrary to disinformation, Türkiye has taken and implemented decisions that go far beyond the recommendations stipulated in the Joint Declaration adopted in Bogota. In May 2024, we completely ceased all trade with Israel. Since then, no exports or imports have taken place and safeguards were meticulously applied to ensure that our Palestinian brothers and sisters did not suffer as a result,” the ministry said.
“Türkiye also takes every possible measure to block military sales to Israel and plays a leading role on international platforms. We spearheaded an initiative at the United Nations, with the support of 52 countries, to halt arms transfers to Israel. We closely monitored the situation of the vessel Madleen from the outset. We brought Israel’s unlawful intervention in international waters to the world’s attention and took all necessary steps to secure the release of our citizens on board,” it added.
The ministry underlined that they had made clear on every occasion their opposition to any plan calling for the forced displacement of Palestinians in Gaza.
“In this spirit, we have endorsed the Arab League and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) plan for Gaza’s reconstruction and supported all efforts aimed at countering schemes to expel Palestinians by force. Contrary to baseless allegations, Türkiye is one of the strongest legal advocates for the Palestinian cause. We are one of the 13 states that intervened in the genocide case filed against Israel at the International Court of Justice, and we have contributed to two ongoing advisory proceedings at the court. From the outset, we have provided full legal, consular and political support to Ms. Ayşenur Ezgi Eygi and Ms. Rümeysa Öztürk,” the ministry said.
“Türkiye will not allow any pressure or smear campaign to succeed in this just cause, which resonates with our nation’s conscience. We remain steadfast in standing by the Palestinian people, without compromising on international law or the principles of human rights,” the statement concluded.
