Erdoğan welcomes Norway, Ireland and Spain decision to recognise Palestinian state

Speaking at an award ceremony in Ankara on Wednesday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said he was very pleased with the decision by Norway, Ireland and Spain to recognise an independent Palestinian state.
"Israel has turned blockaded Gaza Strip into a huge children's cemetery in last 229 days. Israel has lost this war and has been condemned in the eyes of humanity. As long as Western powers continue to stand behind Netanyahu despite all 'his arrogance, recklessness,' massacres in Palestine cannot be prevented," Erdoğan stressed in his speech.

"I am very pleased with today's announcements" by Norway, Ireland, and Spain that they will recognize the state of Palestine, said Erdoğan during his speech at International Benevolence Awards ceremony in the capital Ankara.

The decision to recognize the state of Palestine comes as Israel continues its brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip since October 7, 2023, despite a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire in the enclave.

"Those who provide logistical, military support to occupiers bear the same responsibility for the blood flowing in Gaza as the occupiers themselves," Erdogan added.

He also said that as long as Western powers continue to stand behind Israeli Premier Benjamin Netanyahu despite all "his arrogance and recklessness," massacres in Palestine cannot be prevented.

Israel has turned the blockaded Gaza Strip into a huge children's cemetery in the last 229 days of assault, Erdogan added.

The Turkish leader warned that if Zionist expansionism continues like this the world is "prone to new conflicts."

Palestine is already recognized by eight European countries: Bulgaria, Poland, the Czech Republic, Romania, Slovakia, Hungary, Sweden, and the Greek Cypriot administration.

More than 35,700 Palestinians have been killed, mostly women and children, and nearly 80,000 others injured since last October following an attack by the Palestinian group Hamas.

More than seven months into the Israeli war, vast swathes of Gaza lay in ruins amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water and medicine.

Israel is accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice, which has ordered it to ensure that its forces do not commit acts of genocide and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.