President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan sent a written message to the annual convention of the Muslim American Society (MAS) held between Dec. 26 and Dec. 27 in Chicago, U.S.
Erdoğan’s message was an affirmation of global Muslim unity and a praise of the work of the society whose annual events are attended by prominent figures of Erdoğan’s Justice and Development Party (AK Party). Erdoğan himself delivers messages to conventions every year, through videoconference or written statements.
Erdoğan thanked the MAS for inviting him and expressed hope for an efficient gathering for the Islamic world.
This year’s theme of the event is "Faith Under Fire: Standing Strong In Chaotic Times."
“Unfortunately, places where our hearts stand together with people are unfortunately mired with wars, crises and a cycle of instability. We can only stand strong in those chaotic times by believing in each other in the face of attacks and challenges. I greatly appreciate Muslim American society’s steps to that extent and their principled stand. I hope this principled stance will set an example for other communities turning a blind eye to the facts and will lead to global awakening,” Erdoğan said in his message.
The convention’s theme is a direct reference to major challenges Muslims faced, especially those in Palestine. The organizers say they aim to raise their voice for Palestinians, those in Gaza who have suffered from massacres by Israel since 2023, in the face of the inaction and complicity with Israel witnessed in the international community.
Türkiye often complains about the inaction of the international community against Israel, which has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza over the past two years. It also seeks to mobilize the same community through diplomatic means to drop support for Israel or force the Netanyahu administration into a cease-fire and a lasting solution to the issue. Currently, a fragile cease-fire is in place after the United States introduced a “peace plan” for Gaza, but Ankara says Israel continues violating it. Türkiye was among the countries that helped shape the cease-fire that stopped the killings of Palestinians for a while and briefly led to access to humanitarian aid to the Palestinian enclave. Still, the situation on the ground is far from better for Palestinians who eke out a living among the ruins of Gaza, especially amid worsening weather conditions.
In his statements in the past, Erdoğan has sought to rally the Islamic world to stop Israel and support Türkiye for spearheading such initiatives to ensure a united diplomatic front against the genocidal Netanyahu administration.
Tuğba Işık Ercan, head of the women’s branch at the AK Party, was among the Turkish participants of the Chicago convention and spoke at the opening of the event, sharing Türkiye’s humanitarian diplomacy perspective and stand on Gaza and other places where the oppression of Muslims is evident.
Ercan told the participants how Türkiye pursued a determined approach to the situation, including efforts for the opening of humanitarian aid corridors, and called for the implementation of international laws and a cease-fire. She also delved into how Türkiye itself was committed to standing against Israel through other means, such as suspending all trade with that country. She said those were the reflections of Erdoğan’s “justice-oriented foreign policy vision.”
Along with Ercan, AK Party lawmakers Meryem Göka and Rümeysa Kadak spoke at the sessions through the convention. Those included: “Between Ideals and Pragmatism: Türkiye‘s Regional Actions in Gaza, Libya, and Syria and the Transformation at Home” and “Ummah: Supported by People When Rulers Fail – Gaza and Sudan as Case Studies.”
