Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said at a large pro-Palestinian rally in Istanbul on Saturday that Israel is doomed to stand alone amid the UN vote on a resolution on the Gaza Strip, and wondered whether the West wants a war of “the cross and the crescent.”
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Earlier, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution of Arab countries calling for an immediate truce in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict zone, leading to a cessation of hostilities. 120 countries voted for the document, 14 were against, 45 abstained.
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“West, I appeal to you! Do you want to spark a new war between the cross and the crescent? If you are making such efforts for this, then know that this people is not dead, it is firmly on its feet. We are filled with the same determination as in Libya, in Karabakh, know that we are like that in the Middle East,” Erdogan said at a rally with a Palestinian keffiyeh around his neck. According to him, the number of participants in the rally at Ataturk Airport was about 1.5 million.
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Commenting on the vote at the UN, Erdogan noted that only “13-14” countries supported Israel’s position.
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“So, Israel, you are doomed to be alone in the world and after that you will be doomed no matter what you do. The UN took a good step by adopting this resolution,” the Turkish president noted.
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Erdogan complained about opposition members who consider Hamas terrorists and about those who vote for these politicians. He repeated that, in his opinion, it is Israel that behaves like a group, and Hamas are not terrorists.
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According to him, the West is responsible for the massacre in the Gaza Strip, this is also the legacy of Western countries. Erdogan said that Israel is “committing real war crimes,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is a “true terrorist,” and the West has mobilized all forces, including the media, to legitimize these “war crimes.”
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Protesters shouted anti-Israeli slogans while waving Turkish and Palestinian flags. Increased interest in the rally was facilitated by the fact that in connection with the event and the centenary of the founding of Turkey celebrated on Sunday, public transport in the city became free, and the air temperature reached +25. The meeting was attended by the President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Ersin Tatar, leaders of a number of Turkish parties, the Palestinian Ambassador to Turkey and the Speaker of the UAE Parliament Saqr Ghobash.
