Erdoğan, Pope Francis discuss controversial Paris Olympics ceremony over phone

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had a phone conversation with Pope Francis. During the conversation, President Erdoğan stated that the immoral displays during a segment of the Paris Olympic Games' opening ceremony caused public outrage.

President Erdoğan said that under the guise of freedom of expression and tolerance, human dignity was trampled, and religious and moral values were mocked. He emphasized that this offended not only the Christian world but also Muslims and stressed the importance of raising a united voice and showing a common stance against such actions.

"ALARM BELLS OF THE MORAL DECLINE THE WORLD IS DRIFTING INTO"

President Erdoğan also mentioned that challenging religious values and spreading deviant propaganda during the Olympic Games, which are intended to unite people, are "alarm bells of the moral decline the world is drifting into". In the conversation, President Erdoğan expressed that Israel's attacks on Gaza have turned into a genocide, causing a serious humanitarian crisis, and that Israel is carrying out its massacres under the diplomatic, economic, and military umbrella provided by certain states.

President Erdoğan pointed out that the assassination of Hamas Political Bureau Chief Ismail Haniyeh and the attack on Lebanon once again demonstrated that Israel poses a threat to the entire region, the world, and humanity. He emphasized the need for a "coalition of humanity" to take immediate action for the safety of Muslims and Christians living in Palestine.

"THE POPE SHOULD NEGOTIATE WITH COUNTRIES SUPPORTING ISRAEL FOR PERMANENT PEACE"

President Erdoğan expressed his belief that it would be beneficial for Pope Francis to negotiate with countries supporting Israel to stop the attacks and establish lasting peace before permanent damage is done to the political and social structure of the region and the world. During the conversation, Pope Francis thanked President Erdoğan for his efforts for peace and appreciated his concerns about the desecration of religious values.