The First Muslim Diaspora Forum of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member states was held in Ankara on Tuesday. Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz was among the speakers at the forum, which brought together representatives of the states of the international Islamic body. His speech focused on solidarity and standing against Israeli oppression of Palestinians.
Yılmaz lashed out at Israel’s attempt to brand any opposition to its oppression of Palestinians as “antisemitism.” “(Israeli Prime Minister) Netanyahu himself has left Jews across the world in a hard place because of his actions. The Netanyahu government has put Jews who do not want to be a part of the oppression in a difficult position,” he said, while noting that the Republic of Türkiye has never been antisemitic, as the Netanyahu administration has claimed.
Türkiye champions the Palestinian cause, and under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, it has launched diplomatic efforts to end the genocide in Gaza. Erdoğan has been a staunch opponent of the Netanyahu administration and often likens Netanyahu to Hitler.
The Turkish vice president said solidarity in the face of the tragedy in Gaza was precious, while describing what is happening in the Palestinian enclave as unprecedented.
Yılmaz noted that the inability to implement United Nations resolutions, the weakening of international law, and the protection, in a sense, of perpetrators demonstrate that the existing global order has an extremely limited capacity to deliver justice. He recalled that President Erdoğan’s call that “The world is bigger than five,” arose precisely from this context.
Yılmaz said a dangerous mindset has emerged based on the idea that, “If I am powerful, I can do whatever I want.” In response, he said, Türkiye has made it clear: “We are not living in a period when we can rely on anyone’s mercy. We are living in a period of deepening geopolitical rivalry. We will be both strong and in the right. Despite everything that has happened, we will continue working for a more just world without losing our hope in humanity.”
“Under the leadership of our President, Türkiye will continue to stand by the right, the truth, and the oppressed, whatever the cost, to deliver humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza; and to defend the Palestinian cause on international platforms. The thing tyrants fear most is the light of truth. And at precisely this point, we will continue to proclaim the truth in a loud and clear voice,” he said.
Yılmaz said Muslim diasporas have great power in the countries where they live to bring Gaza’s voice to the public and decision-makers and to mount an effective social response to narratives that distort the truth. “The framework that we could call an ‘Alliance of the Virtuous’ or an ‘alliance of humanity’ is very important here,” he said.
He stressed that it is necessary to fight against this oppression in solidarity with all people, institutions and organizations that are aware that what is happening in Gaza constitutes a crime against humanity. “By mobilizing this power through a common narrative and continuous coordination, we must turn solidarity with the Palestinian people into a more effective, visible and results-oriented struggle,” he said.
