Mahmoud Abbas in historical TBMM speech: Aim of Israel's genocidal policy is to uproot Palestinians from homeland

The Turkish Grand National Assembly (TBMM) convened under the chairmanship of Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş for an Extraordinary Session on Palestine.

In the General Assembly, where President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan observed from the lodge, a photograph of Hamas Political Bureau Chief Ismail Haniyeh, who was assassinated in Tehran, Iran, was displayed in the AK Party group seats.

Scarves featuring Palestinian and Turkish flags were placed on the seats where the members of the presidency council and parliamentarians sit.
Mahmoud Abbas said, "The path to peace and security begins and ends with Palestine. Our struggle against Israel's barbaric attacks has mobilized people around the world who stand against injustice. People are loudly condemning Israel and its forces of destruction."

Delivering a speech during the Special Session on Palestine in the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TBMM), Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas stressed the following keynotes in his historical address: "President of Türkiye, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Speaker of the Turkish Grand National Assembly, Numan Kurtulmuş, esteemed members of the Turkish Parliament, and the brotherly people of Türkiye, may Allah's peace be upon you. I come to you from blessed Palestine, from Jerusalem. I come with the message of my people, who are enduring great suffering. I bring the message of my people who have lived through a great catastrophe since 1948. My people, deprived of international justice, cling to their land, homeland, sacred sites, and unchanging national rights, bravely resisting the crimes of the occupying Israel. We believe that one day, by the grace of Allah, this national struggle will be crowned with victory and freedom, and this prolonged affliction will come to an end.

I would like to begin my speech by paying tribute to our tens of thousands of martyrs. I start by remembering those who have been martyred in Gaza, the West Bank, and Jerusalem due to Israel's attacks, crimes, and acts of genocide. The latest of these crimes was committed against our leader, Ismail Haniyeh. Now, I invite you, my esteemed brothers, to recite Al-Fatiha for the souls of Ismail Haniyeh and all Palestinian martyrs.

I salute all the members of this Assembly who defend the just cause of our people. I know that this issue is at the center of your attention, and that you have conducted discussions on this matter in this Assembly. You stand with the Palestinians against the historical injustices, massacres, war crimes, and genocide committed against the Palestinian people. I ask, by Allah, how can the international community remain silent every day as the Israeli occupying state continues its massacres in Gaza, especially in the refugee camps, and just a few days ago, the massacre at a school where more than a hundred were martyred?
We deeply appreciate the leading role of Türkiye under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. We commend him for his courageous and principled stance. We also applaud all of Türkiye's political parties and civil society organizations for rejecting and condemning Israel's crimes against our people, our land, and our sacred sites. Once again, we extend our heartfelt thanks to the brotherly Turkish people for their sincere feelings and noble stance in supporting the Palestinian people and their just cause. Our people will never forget the Turkish people who were martyred for Palestine and Jerusalem. Specifically, we commend Türkiye's decision, alongside South Africa, to refer Israel's genocide in Gaza to the International Court of Justice.

Halting trade with Israel, Türkiye has suspended $10 billion worth of trade in support of the Palestinian people. The Palestinian cause has become a central issue in Türkiye. This is a reflection of the values, morals, and policies of the Turkish people.

The true aim of Israel's genocidal policy in Gaza, the West Bank, and Jerusalem is to uproot the Palestinian presence from our homeland and to force the Palestinians into displacement once again. They want to repeat the same tragedy as in 1948 and 1967. But no matter what they do, this will never happen. Our people are deeply connected to their land, their sacred sites, and their homeland, and no matter the cost, they will drive out the occupiers and invaders.
Since October 7, 40,000 Palestinian women and children have been martyred. There are tens of thousands missing and 80,000 injured. In the West Bank alone, there are 10,000 martyrs. Despite this, we will continue to stand strong and will not leave our land. In this context, we greatly appreciate the stances of Egypt and Jordan. These stances fully align with ours, and we support them on all platforms. We have said it in the past, and we will continue to say it tomorrow: Gaza is an inseparable part of the State of Palestine. Another state cannot be established in Gaza, and there can be no Palestinian state without Gaza. Our people will not break or surrender. We will rebuild Gaza. Even if more than 70% of it is destroyed now, we will rebuild it. We will do this to establish our independent State of Palestine, with East Jerusalem as its capital, in the future. This will be done, no matter the cost.

However, the murderers and war criminals will not escape justice for their crimes. These crimes do not have a statute of limitations. They will undoubtedly be held accountable. We will continue to cooperate with international organizations in this regard. With its epic resistance of over 100 years, our people are not only defending Palestine but are also on the front lines in defending the Arabs and the Islamic Ummah against the expansionist and colonial Zionist movement that seeks to dominate the entire region. We will not allow them to succeed. We all know very well that Jerusalem holds a special place in your hearts, as it does in ours, throughout history. We cannot make any concessions when it comes to Al-Quds al-Sharif. The Ottomans said this, and you continue to say it to this day. Yes, we know the position of Jerusalem in your hearts and in the hearts of the Turkish people. Likewise, Al-Quds al-Sharif holds the same position in the hearts of millions of others. It is the jewel in the crown where the Prophet Muhammad experienced the Night Journey, and it is where Jesus was born and ascended to heaven. It is a red line for both you and us. Anyone who disregards even a speck of Palestinian soil or a single stone is neither one of us nor one of you. This land is entrusted to us by religion and history.

Whatever the cost, no matter what conspiracies are plotted against us—whether they try to alter the historical structures of the holy sites, as they did most recently two years and two days ago when the occupying government entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque—everyone should hear this: that place is our mosque. Its churches are our churches. Let everyone hear and understand this: the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem are a single geographical entity that forms the independent State of Palestine, governed by a single legitimate government as determined by international legitimacy. If this does not happen, there will be no stability, peace, or development. Unfortunately, this is non-negotiable. Either you give us our rights, or you are free to do as you please. If this does not happen, the cycle of violence will continue. The path to peace and security begins and ends with Palestine. In this context, our struggle against Israel's barbaric attacks has mobilized people around the world who stand against injustice. People are loudly condemning Israel and its destructive forces, as well as the genocides they are committing there."