Millions of people in
Istanbul gathered to protest Israel's actions in Gaza, where a humanitarian crisis was unfolding. During the
Great Palestine Rally held at Atatürk Airport, President
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan delivered noteworthy messages to the world public.
In his momentous speech at the
Great Palestine Rally, Erdoğan conveyed the following:
"In this statement, we are not merely addressing the tragedy in
Gaza; we are also safeguarding our own sovereignty and future. Reflect on the terms used by top Israeli officials. Among them all, we are securing our independence and future. Let's trace the course of betrayal. What were
Gaza and Palestine in 1947, and what is their state today? How did Israel establish its presence here? You are an occupying entity, an organization. That's why the
Turkish nation understands this. The
West may have obligations to you, but
Türkiye does not. This is why we speak with such candour. President Erdoğan speaks freely because Türkiye doesn't owe you anything. Unfortunately, many
Western countries do have obligations to you and can't speak openly. They come to visit you, asking for your
forgiveness by doing so. We don't have that issue. We stand with the
oppressed.
You see it as well, you are following the situation closely. Those who shed
insincere tears for the civilians killed in the
Ukraine-Russia conflict yesterday are now silently witnessing the
tragic deaths of thousands of
innocent children today. You wept for those who perished in Ukraine, so why is your voice not raised for these innocent children who have lost their lives in Gaza? Western nations, I am addressing you; do you wish to rekindle a
crescent-crusade struggle? If you are pursuing such an endeavour, be aware that this nation is far from defeated. This nation stands resolute. Just as we displayed the same
determination in Libya and Karabakh, know that we are steadfast in the
Middle East as well.
This single image conveys a great deal. We've endured this double standard, this unconscionable and immoral discrimination, on numerous occasions, whether in the face of attacks by the
PKK, DAESH, or FETO. Those who came from thousands of kilometres away and claimed to fight terrorism, brutally ending the lives of millions, come to our minds. They didn't want to acknowledge our right to defend our borders, our homeland, and our citizens. Let me speak plainly: everything we've achieved in the
fight against terrorism, particularly over the last decade, we've accomplished in spite of these
challenges. Moving forward, we will persist on the path we've forged with the
belief that we can strike suddenly, even in the dark of night.
Just as we've etched epics into history, this nation is poised to script new ones, with the blessings of God. I'm addressing the West, which the late Mehmet Akif likened to a monster with only one tooth remaining, encompassing America, Europe, and all those under their control. It is this West that bears the greatest responsibility for the tragedy in Gaza. Setting aside a few conscientious voices whose presence remains unwelcome even in their own domains, the Gaza tragedy is fundamentally the doing of the West. Can we ignore the image of a baby clutching its mother's hair and murmuring, 'I recognize my mother by her hair?'
It is both absurd and disheartening to witness them camouflage their unwavering support for those responsible for the deaths of innocent children with hollow ideals like democracy, human rights, and justice. It's widely understood that Israel is a mere pawn in the region, one that will be cast aside when its usefulness expires. There is no other way to rationalize the unfathomable cruelty displayed by those who, until yesterday, held the moral high ground due to their own sufferings.
The true puppeteers behind the regional machinations are the ones who prop up the Israeli regime for their own gains. Israel, despite its show of power, cannot make a single move without their support. Even if it attempts to act independently, its actions invariably crumble within days. The Western powers, rather than getting their own hands dirty, employ various tactics, whether through financial incentives, sowing discord among factions, or utilizing vehicles like the Israeli government, to obfuscate their roles in these atrocities."
