Türkiye has again criticized the United States for supporting Israel in committing genocide in the Palestinian enclave of Gaza, and most recently its deadly attack on displaced Palestinians in Rafah.
“We wholeheartedly believe that Israel’s genocide will not be left unpunished by international law and human conscience,” Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan told reporters at a joint news conference with his Cambodian counterpart Sok Chenda Sophea in Ankara.
Fidan said that by attacking the southern Gaza city of Rafah, Israel is pursuing the most possible inhumane acts.
The Minister said that had it not been for the “unconditional” support of Western countries, particularly the US, Israel would not have been able to commit a genocide in Gaza in the first place and perpetuate it.
“Welcoming the genocide of a nation under the pretext of maintaining Israel’s security or defense is unacceptable. Türkiye will do its best to stop the massacre of people in Gaza,” the FM said.
Later, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Fidan will visit Madrid on Wednesday on the occasion of Spain’s official recognition of Palestine as a state.
The Minister will be visiting Madrid together with the members of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and Arab League Contact Group on Gaza that was held in Saudi Arabia.
The meetings will focus on the efforts to achieve a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and to encourage more countries to recognize the State of Palestine based on a two-state solution.
Late on Monday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez spoke over the phone and discussed Spain’s decision to recognize Palestine as a state, and the need to reach a peace agreement that ends violence in Gaza.
“There are no words to describe the dramatic nature of what is happening in Gaza right now, and we hope that, with Türkiye’s contributions, this tragedy will be brought to an end,” said Chenda Sophea during the press conference with Fidan.
On Monday, Türkiye criticized comments by Israeli Foreign Minister Katz, who described Erdogan as a “dictator.”
“The disrespectful tone and baseless accusations against President Erdogan are a futile attempt to change the agenda about Israel's crimes in Palestine,” the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
“It is the Netanyahu government that has killed nearly 40,000 Palestinians since October and barbarically massacred dozens of innocent Palestinians in an attack on a tent camp last night. All those who are complicit in these crimes will be brought to justice before international courts,” it added.
“As Türkiye, we will continue to advocate for justice and the rights of Palestinians,” the Ministry said.
Katz’ harsh criticism of the Turkish President came after the latter said on Monday that Ankara would do “everything possible to hold these barbarians and murderers, who have nothing to do with humanity, to account.”
Katz tweeted that it is “dictator” Erdogan himself who should be accused of genocide, accusing him of murdering Kurdish citizens, occupying the north of Cyprus and committing crimes against humanity.
Israel’s airstrikes in western Rafah sparked nationwide protests in Türkiye, demanding a complete severing of relations with Israel.
