Turkish NGOs call for firm solidarity with Palestinians

Two top Turkish NGOs on Tuesday condemned Israeli attacks on Palestinians in East Jerusalem and raids on Al-Aqsa Mosque, and called for a joint action plan and solidarity with the Islamic world on Palestine.

In a statement released in Istanbul on behalf of the Inter-Parliamentary Jerusalem Platform and the Foundation of the Representatives of the Ummah (UTEV), Nureddin Nebati, deputy treasury and finance minister and the head of both groups, said that the occupying "terrorist state" of Israel opened another page in its history, which is full of violence and cruelty, during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, on the eve of the sacred Night of Qadr.

Nebati stressed that Israel attacked innocent civilians as they prayed at Al-Aqsa with plastic bullets, sound bombs, and tear gas. Saying that the whole world has witnessed the circle of fire surrounding Palestinians, he added: "Those who are enemies even to the breath of our brothers recognize no boundaries in cruelty. Our Palestinian brothers, armed with sticks and stones, are waging a fight of honor. For generations, they have forcibly been evacuated from their homes.

"The occupying Zionists target and crush Palestinian Muslims, who do not want to leave their homes. They (Palestinians) are exposed to a real terror campaign waged by state, with their heads and eyes particularly targeted by bullets. Their mouths foaming, they (Israelis) escalate the terror by raiding Al-Aqsa."

Telling how hundreds of Palestinians were seriously injured and 26 people killed, including nine children, by Israeli airstrikes on Gaza, he added: "Children who should be listening to fairy tales died amid the din of bullets and bombs due to Israeli attacks."

Evoking history, he said: "The Saladins and Omars of Jerusalem are fighting with great sacrifices and marching towards martyrdom by putting their souls out so that the polluted feet of the invaders do not sully our first qibla [holy direction], and the hand does not touch the chest of our temple. An ummah [Muslim community] whose commander is the Prophet Muhammad will never bow down."

'ALL WE MUST DO TO FREE AL-AQSA MOSQUE FROM ITS CHAINS IS UNITE'

Nebati stressed that those who defeated oppressors who banned prayers at Al-Aqsa during the Crusader era through "glorious" 12th-century commander Saladin have the strength and ability to do this today as well.

"The only thing we need to do is to unite in order to free Jerusalem, which was promised to us by our Allah, and the Al-Aqsa Mosque, which was entrusted to the ummah, from its chains. As our Palestinian brothers are entering our blessed assembly under the shadow of weapons, while Jerusalem was under occupation, the Islamic world with 1.7 billion members should consider sleeping comfortably at home as shameful. Do we consider ourselves incapable of protecting even our home with our 1.7 billion ummah?" he said.

Nebati reiterated that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been fighting for the freedom of Palestine throughout his political life and has shown a determined, principled, and unyielding stance both at home and abroad.

Erdogan stood against Zionism and shouted at the oppressors over their cruelty, said Nebati, and added: "He has been the voice of the oppressed, raised the world against the persecution of the Palestinian people. While many people and leaders, including so-called apostles of democracy, kept silent about the cruelty of Israel, he spoke out. At the (2009) Davos summit, then-Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's protest against the speech of Israeli President Shimon Peres, which was full of lies, is an important sign of Turkey's support for the Palestinian cause and struggle. Turkey's humane and moral attitude was announced to the international public with the loudest voice by Erdogan: 'When it comes to killing, you know killing very well. I know very well how you killed and shot the children on the beaches.' These words went down in history as an indicator that Turkey shared the pain of our Palestinian brothers."

CALL TO ISLAMIC WORLD FOR 'JOINT ACTION PLAN' ON PALESTINE

To the governments and rulers of the Islamic world, Nebati implored: "Today stop obeying the sovereigns, and being allied to the so-called democracy promoters, who do it for the oppressors' interests. Stand up to break the restraints undermining the ummah. Today is the day of resurrection, today is the day of unification. Today is not the day for simple condemnation or palliative solutions. Al-Aqsa awaits us bereft and desperate. Our comrades in this struggle are the whole Islamic world with its 1.7 billion members."

Stressing that they need everybody and every platform to say "stop" to continued Israeli brutality and massacres and support the honorable resistance of the Palestinian people, he said:

"All types of solidarity and support, big and small alike, are vital to us. In order to win this righteous cause, and prevent the sheer persecution by the oppressors. Because we believe that, as the great master (Turkish author and scholar) Cemil Meric once said, 'Where there is oppression, neutrality is dishonesty.' Anyone who does not speak up on the Palestine issue under the guise of neutrality lacks human dignity."

The people will cry out to the whole world as one body and one heart for the just cause and honorable struggle of the Palestinians until the cruelty and brutality carried out by Israel ends, he said.

Stressing that a free Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa are not issues of passing interest, Nebati stressed that these causes should be defended under all conditions and be always carried in people's minds and hearts.

"If you have not felt the pain of our Palestinian brothers and children who wear shrouds instead of Eid (holiday) clothes, if you have not experienced the cruelty they endure in your heart, then it is time to question your service and your faith. The Palestinian cause is not only of the Palestinians, it is also of the whole ummah, and world."

Also present at the press event were Hamid El Ahmar, a number of ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party MPs, and members of both NGOs.

The death toll from Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip on Tuesday rose to 26, with 125 wounded, according to local sources.

Victims include women, children, and disabled people.

On Monday, the Israeli army announced the launch of a new military offensive against the Gaza Strip, including air attacks, in response to claims of rockets fired into Israel.

Tensions have been running high in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of occupied East Jerusalem since last week, when Israeli settlers swarmed in after an Israeli court ordered the eviction of Palestinian families.

Palestinians protesting in solidarity with the residents of Sheikh Jarrah have been targeted by Israeli forces.

Israel occupied East Jerusalem during the 1967 Arab-Israeli war and annexed the entire city in 1980-a move that has never been recognized by the international community.