Egypt Daily News – In his opening speech at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned Israel for violating the most basic human rights, trampling on international law, and committing genocide in Gaza. Erdogan added in his speech: “We want the Antalya Forum to be a message of goodwill. There is great international interest in the Antalya Forum. We want to send a message of peace to the people of the world.”
Erdogan condemned the Israeli practices against the people of Gaza: “Israel becomes more audacious with the world’s silence and indifference… Silence over Israel’s massacres is considered participation in these crimes, Israel is a terrorist state and has no other definition.”
He pointed out that no one has the right to “label Palestinians as terrorists, and their struggle cannot be insulted by branding it as terrorism… Peace in the Middle East cannot be achieved without the establishment of a free and sovereign Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders.”
Erdogan also condemned Israel’s attacks on Syria and Lebanon, as well as its efforts to stir sectarian tensions in Syria, saying: “By attacking Syria and Lebanon, Israel is turning into a state that causes problems in the region… Israel is trying to fuel ethnic and sectarian divisions in Syria to undermine the gains of the revolution… Through its attacks on Syria and Lebanon, Israel undermines the region’s confrontation with ISIS.”
In contrast, Erdogan warned against tampering with Syria’s security, saying: “Anyone who wants to inflict the same suffering on the Syrian people again must prepare to pay the price for it… We will not allow anyone to destabilize Syria’s security and stability, as it is intertwined with our own security and stability.”
The Turkish President emphasized Turkey’s unified stance with both the U.S. and Russian presidents on the need for the unity of Syrian territory.
He stressed that standing against injustice is a humanitarian duty, saying: “The world system has proven its failure in addressing many issues. The international community is unable to develop fairer and more humane policies… We must showcase the power of humanitarian diplomacy in confronting these issues… Standing against injustice is a humanitarian duty.”
He added that “the world is bigger than the five permanent members of the Security Council because humanity is bigger than five.”
Erdogan pointed out that Ankara prefers dialogue over conflict, and common sense and global conscience over polarization.
He continued: “We want to see the region live in peace instead of conflict, and in prosperity rather than blood, tears, pain, and tensions… Achieving peace requires more effort than waging wars.”
The Turkish President highlighted that Turkey seeks to achieve peace in Ukraine, Syria, Gaza, and Libya, and to establish good relations with its neighbors.
He concluded: “We want to establish a belt of peace in our region… We do not seek anyone’s land, and we care more about people than resources.”
