President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan attended the opening ceremony of the Mor Efrem Syriac Ancient Orthodox Church in Yeşilköy and delivered a speech.
During his address, he emphasized the urgent need for the establishment of an independent Palestinian State with Jerusalem as its capital and called for restraint to avoid further escalation of tensions in the region.
"The establishment of an independent and geographically contiguous State of Palestine, based on the 1967 borders, with Jerusalem as its capital, is an irreversible necessity. However, ongoing efforts to partition Jerusalem both in terms of time and space have resulted in an increasing number of violations against the Haram al-Sharif. Türkiye has consistently and vocally expressed its objections and reactions to this issue on every possible occasion. We have never hesitated to speak the truth, even when the rest of the world remains silent.
While Türkiye stands in unwavering solidarity with our Palestinian brothers, we are committed to avoiding actions that would further escalate tensions, cause more bloodshed, and exacerbate the existing problems. We emphasize the importance of refraining from any steps that could contribute to the worsening of the situation.
Through our relevant institutions, we have made every possible effort to alleviate the suffering of the people of Gaza resulting from the blockade. Today, we are guided by the principle that a just peace benefits all parties involved, and there are no losers in pursuing such a peace.
In our interactions with relevant stakeholders, our foremost emphasis is on resolving the Palestinian issue in accordance with international law and bringing lasting peace and stability to the region. Unfortunately, the longer it takes to establish justice, the entire region, including Palestinians and Israelis, continues to pay a heavy price. The loss and suffering of innocent children, particularly infants, deeply saddens us.
Adding further fuel to the fire benefits no one, especially the civilians on both sides. Türkiye is fully prepared to do everything within its capacity to bring an end to these conflicts as swiftly as possible and reduce the escalated tension resulting from recent events. We are resolute in our determination to intensify diplomatic efforts aimed at restoring tranquillity. We extend an earnest invitation to all relevant actors to sincerely contribute to the cause of peace in the region," Erdoğan stressed in his remarks.
