Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Tuesday participated in the opening meeting of the 28th Term, 3rd Legislative Year of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye (TBMM).
Here are the key points from Erdoğan's speech:
President Erdoğan emphasized that the 3rd legislative year begins amidst significant regional developments. He condemned Israel's actions in Palestine and Gaza over the past year, stating that Israel's "terror and genocide" have now extended to Lebanon. He noted that Israeli forces announced their entry into Lebanese territory, and accused Israel of both committing genocide in Gaza and provoking other regional countries into conflict.
Erdoğan criticized the lack of sufficient global reaction to Israel's actions, particularly mentioning the failure of the international community to respond to the killing of 42,000 people in Gaza, 17,000 of whom were children. He highlighted his recent address at the United Nations General Assembly, where he strongly condemned Israel's aggression.
In a pointed remark, Erdoğan compared Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Adolf Hitler, accusing him of committing numerous crimes against humanity, including genocide, massacre, racism, torture, and ethnic cleansing. He stated that Israel has bombed mosques, churches, hospitals, and schools, turning Gaza into a "camp of destruction."
Erdoğan expressed his frustration with countries that continue to support Israel financially or militarily, and others that remain silent, thereby becoming complicit in these acts. He warned that, like Hitler, Netanyahu will eventually be stopped, and predicted that those responsible for the atrocities will be disgraced.
Erdoğan also criticized Muslim leaders for their silence in the face of Israel's actions, describing it as a lasting shame. He lamented the inaction of international organizations and Muslim-majority states, calling for a united response against Israel's policies.
He reiterated that Israel's ongoing policies of occupation and genocide will not stop without international pressure. Erdoğan pledged that Türkiye will continue to speak out courageously, defend what is right, and stand firmly against injustice, regardless of the backlash from Zionist lobbies or other actors.
Erdoğan warned that Israel's current actions in Palestine and Lebanon are part of a broader religiously motivated agenda that could eventually target Turkish territories. He suggested that Israel's leadership harbors expansionist ambitions, even involving parts of Anatolia, and that recent developments since October 7 have only heightened this threat.
Finally, Erdoğan indicated that, while closely monitoring Israel's actions, Türkiye is also aware of Israel's use of the PKK and similar groups to establish satellite structures in northern Iraq and Syria, which Türkiye views as part of a larger destabilization effort in the region.
