The circle is tightening around Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his “massacre network”, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said yesterday after chairing a government meeting at the presidential complex in the capital Ankara. His comment followed the arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court for Netanyahu and his former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant.
Erdogan pointed out that Turkiye is doing much more for Palestine, Gaza and Lebanon than what is visible, what is being talked about. “We will stand by our brothers with all our strength and all our resources, until the genocide stops, and Gaza and Palestine are fully liberated,” he said, expressing the hope that the Palestinian cause will prevail. “At the end of these difficult days, Palestinians will attain salvation, peace and tranquillity, while the oppressors will lose.”
The Turkish president pointed out that, “Even if some insist on ignoring it, an extremely bloody and dangerous war has been going on right next to Turkiye for 14 months.” This was a reference to Israel’s ruthless offensive against the Palestinians in Gaza, which has killed over 44,000 people since 7 October last year, and expanded to include Lebanon, Syria and other countries in the region.
He stressed that Turkiye was at the forefront of countries that strongly opposed the aggressive policies pursued by the Israeli government. Moreover, Ankara has “led the countries” sending humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, by sending 86,000 tonnes of aid.
“We disregarded the trade volume worth $9.5 billion by halting trade with Israel and have submitted a request to the International Court of Justice to join the case filed [by South Africa] against Israel,” said Erdogan.
The president noted that Turkiye is making great efforts to unite the Islamic world against Israel, adding, “The oppressed Palestinian people are the greatest witness to Turkiye’s support for their struggle and their just cause.”
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