Israel is openly declaring it targets the Middle East’s peace and stability through attacks on Syria and Lebanon, besides the ongoing attacks on civilians in Gaza, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Friday.
"This state of madness that threatens and worries the countries in the region must end as soon as possible. Otherwise, that fire will soon burn those who fan the flames," Erdoğan said at a meeting of the parliamentary groups supporting Palestine in Istanbul.
Defending Palestine is not only protecting an oppressed people, but safeguarding humanity, peace and justice, he said, indicating that the Islamic world failed to act.
“I regret to say this, the Islamic world, unfortunately, has not realized what is expected of it."
“The Israeli government is massacring our Palestinian brothers in amok without differentiating between children, women, babies or the elderly,” he said.
Harshly criticizing those ignoring the attacks on Gaza, the president added: “Journalists are being killed while international press organizations are watching. Children are being killed while human rights defenders are watching.”
"Those who have been talking about rights, law and press freedom for years have been burying their head in the sand for 18 months in the face of Israel's policy of massacre,” Erdoğan continued. “Those Western countries, who raise the weapon of embargoes in every little incident, I ask you, where are they?”
He highlighted that “international law has become an apparatus for fortifying the strength of the strong instead of establishing justice.”
Erdoğan reminded that 212 journalists have been killed trying to display the realities on the ground to the world. The previous day, Israel killed a female journalist together with 10 members of her family, he said.
"The Israeli government is trying to destroy the innocents it cannot kill with bombs by stopping aid and, in a way, by causing hunger, thirst and lack of medicine."
International charities working in Gaza warn that its 2.4 million people cannot endure more shortages after many of them were displaced multiple times during the devastating military campaign Israel launched.
Türkiye has been a fervent critic of Israel, with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan accusing Tel Aviv of committing genocide and criticizing Western nations for backing Israel.
In May, Türkiye suspended trade with Israel, citing its assault on Gaza, and in August, it formally applied to join South Africa's initiative to have Israel tried for genocide at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
Ankara is a firm supporter of the two-state solution with the 1967 borders and East Jerusalem as the capital of an independent Palestine.
The group of parliaments supporting Palestine will continue on its path by developing and expanding from now on, Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş said on the same day.
"We know that there are countries that have not yet recognized Palestine. We will continue our diplomatic relations in the highest manner for these countries to recognize Palestine," Kurtulmuş said.
He emphasized that while Türkiye continues to support the Palestinian cause, it will further focus its efforts on "establishing a fair global system."
"The door for world peace is the Middle East. The key for this door is the peace and welfare of Palestine," he added.
For his part, Palestinian National Council President Rawhi Fattouh underlined that: "The Palestinian people are subjected to an unprecedented genocide."
