President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Wednesday reiterated Türkiye’s support for Palestinians as a new plan by the U.S. pushes for peace in the Palestinian territories amid Israel’s ongoing genocide.
Addressing the opening of the new legislative year at the Turkish Parliament in Ankara, Erdoğan said Parliament, representing all our citizens, showed the strongest reaction to Israel’s ongoing genocide.
“The genocide motion the Turkish Parliament accepted in August sent a powerful message to Israel,” he said.
"Our Parliament became the voice of our nation's conscience with its uncompromising stance against the massacres in Gaza, with a seven-point joint declaration by all parties. The latest motion approved on Aug. 29 in particular served as a strong message for those turning a blind eye to oppression," he said, referring to the inaction of other countries against Israel's genocide.
Erdoğan also hailed the efforts of Parliament in the context of parliamentary diplomacy, which it has established for the Palestinian cause in collaboration with other Parliaments around the world.
The president was in New York last week, where he addressed the U.N. General Assembly in a speech particularly targeting Israel's oppression. Erdoğan reminded his audience of his speech and said he has always been a loud voice for the Palestinian cause. He said himself, Türkiye and the government were subject to defamation campaigns for defending the cause, but they maintained their dignified stance.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday unveiled a 20-point peace plan he said would halt Israel’s devastating war on the besieged Gaza Strip, prevent further forced displacement of Palestinians and secure the release of all hostages, presenting it as a framework shaped through consultations with Arab and Muslim partners. The plan involves “demilitarizing” Gaza, where Israel and Hamas will exchange hostages and prisoners. Hamas has yet to respond to the proposal, while Erdoğan has broadly stated that they would support efforts for peace. Türkiye and Qatar are also currently mediating the issue with Hamas. Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalın traveled to Qatar on Tuesday to attend the mediation efforts.
“We will never abandon the heroic sons and daughters of Gaza resisting occupying forces attacking with the most modern weaponry," he said.
He also referred to Türkiye's delivery of more than 102,000 tons of humanitarian aid to Gaza and cutting off all trade with Israel, as well as joining an international genocide trial against Israel. "We stood with our Gazan brothers with countless diplomatic, legal and economic steps. They are the witness of our efforts," Erdoğan said.
"We devoted our lives to the Palestinian cause, will defend the right of Palestine, our first qibla, sacred Jerusalem, to our last breath. Granting peace for Palestinians is a debt of the Islamic world and the international community to the Palestinians. Türkiye will work to ensure that not a single bomb is dropped on Palestinians anymore,” he said.
"I have no doubt that history will record that the Republic of Türkiye was a monument of conscience in this age for its principled stand on Gaza," he added. Referring to his talks with U.S. President Donald Trump last week, the president said ending bloodshed in Gaza topped the agenda of their meeting, and he presented Türkiye's proposals on the matter to ensure a lasting peace.
"Our principle is that the war has no winners and a fair peace has no losers," he said. "Our Palestinian brothers and sisters deserve the peace most," he added.
"Despite so much suffering, despite the blood of innocent people in the hands of killers, we adhere to our hopes. Allah willing, we will see better days where peace and security reign, from river to sea," he said, using a famous slogan for the Palestinian cause, to the applause of lawmakers.
Exactly one year ago, Türkiye informally launched a "terror-free initiative" at Parliament, during the start of the legislative year. The issue that involves the disarmament of the PKK terrorist group, naturally, made its way into Erdoğan's speech. He has championed the plan that was first suggested by government ally Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli in October 2024.
"In one year, historic steps were taken to achieve a terror-free Türkiye," Erdoğan said, before thanking Bahçeli as "architect of terror-free Türkiye ideal."
Erdoğan, who shook hands with lawmakers from the opposition Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) after his speech, also thanked the party. In fact, the initiative's first signal was Bahçeli's unprecedented handshake with lawmakers from the DEM Party, whom he had repeatedly torn apart in his speeches in the past.
The president pointed out that the terrorist group had ceased its attacks in the past year and announced its dissolution before burning weapons in a symbolic ceremony.
"Thus, this terror problem that has claimed tens of thousands of lives since 1984 and cost economic losses amounting to $2 trillion, has come to a point where it will end," he hailed.
"We are fully aware that this process is extremely sensitive; however, from the very beginning, we have approached it with optimism and continue to make every effort to maintain that positive outlook. From this podium, I want to reiterate: The Republic of Türkiye will never kneel before any worldly power, will not submit, concede, or negotiate its sovereignty under any circumstances," he said. He was responding to criticism of the initiative portrayed as Türkiye's bargain with the PKK. The government has repeatedly said that the initiative is strictly unilateral in terms of disarmament, and the PKK was not offered anything in return in exchange for dissolution.
"In this regard, if there are citizens who have doubts, possibly stirred by provocations from some opposition parties, I want to assure them all that they can rest easy. Especially the honorable families of our martyrs and our veterans should know that neither the government, nor our partner in the People's Alliance, the Nationalist Movement Party, nor this esteemed Parliament will allow any steps that would cast a shadow over their sacred memories. Our goal is to eradicate terrorism and foster unity and brotherhood. Every step we take is aimed solely and exclusively at this objective. Without a doubt, the most important center for realizing our ideal of a terror-free Türkiye is right here: the Turkish Parliament," Erdoğan said.
After the PKK started burning weapons at a ceremony in northern Iraq, Parliament established a National Solidarity, Brotherhood and Democracy Committee exclusively for the initiative. The committee, comprised of lawmakers, is chaired by Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş and was the only working body of Parliament during the summer recess. So far, 91 people from diverse backgrounds have addressed the committee, which first convened in August. Participants included ministers, the intelligence chief, victims of PKK terrorism, families of PKK members, academics, representatives of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and more. Although not without arguments and heated debates, the committee was a rare occasion where bickering parties maintained unity, and people with sharply contrasting views had a platform to raise their voices.
"When the commission completes its work, we will undoubtedly have very important data at hand," Erdoğan said on Wednesday. The committee will serve as a guide to Parliament's general assembly, which is expected to implement legislation to accelerate the initiative, such as rumored leniency in sentencing of PKK members not involved in acts of terrorism.
"The implementation of the proposals raised in the commission, through consultation and consensus, will mark the next phase. What matters here is that Türkiye’s domestic, national and solution-oriented political parties take responsibility for such a vital issue, come together under this committee, engage in dialogue, listen respectfully to one another and consult openly. This is a remarkable achievement that gives us great hope for our country’s democracy. This committee has also demonstrated that solutions cannot be achieved with weapons, nor can clenched fists greet each other in peace. Everything can be discussed, debated and consulted within a framework of respect," he said.
Erdoğan also spoke about the future of the U.S.-backed terrorist group YPG in neighboring Syria and signaled Türkiye’s patience was running out. The YPG is the Syrian wing of the PKK and has been reluctant to join the PKK for disarmament so far, striving to distinguish itself from the terrorist group based in Iraq. The YPG in March signed a deal with the new administration in Syria for its integration into the Syrian army. The issue is critical for Türkiye, which hopes for a smooth transition in post-Assad Syria for the YPG. In the past, Türkiye launched cross-border offensives to drive out the YPG from its immediate border with Syria.
“We engage in diplomacy for Syria’s territorial integrity and against terrorist risks beyond our borders, but we will not allow a deja vu situation in Syria,” Erdoğan said amid the YPG’s push for a self-styled autonomy despite the Damascus deal, implying another military operation as Türkiye did in Syria in the past. He underlined that Türkiye was against the fragmentation of Syria.
Erdoğan said a terror-free Türkiye also benefits people abroad, particularly Kurds.
"Türkiye is not only the homeland of Kurds within its borders but also the greatest, most sincere, and most reliable protector and brother of Kurds beyond its borders. In difficult times, Türkiye is the first refuge whose door is knocked on. This has been true for centuries, is true today and will remain so tomorrow, Allah willing, never to change," he said.
"We will never allow our Kurdish brothers beyond our borders to be exploited by certain terrorist groups or by some countries and groups hostile to Turks, Kurds, Arabs and Muslims in general. From the beginning, we have strongly supported Syria’s territorial integrity. Today, we firmly oppose any plans to divide Syria. To ensure Syria’s territorial integrity and to prevent any terrorist formations beyond our borders, we have activated all diplomatic channels. Our principled stance is not against the people of Syria, including our Kurdish brothers, but quite the opposite; it is in their favor and aimed at freeing the region from the scourge of terrorism," he added.
"Allah willing, tomorrow and forever, the Turkish-Kurdish-Arab alliance will secure and strengthen peace, stability, development and prosperity in the region. We believe this with all our hearts," Erdoğan said.
