Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated that the founding of the state of Israel was a catastrophe for Palestinians and that it would be wrong to call it a legitimate state. He made this comment during a speech in Ankara at the Conference on the Future of Palestine, organized by the ruling Justice and Development Party.
Erdogan emphasized that Israel’s policies of occupation, destruction, and executions have persisted for 76 years. He pointed out that the founding of Israel on May 14, 1948, marked a significant disaster for Palestinians. According to Erdogan, Israeli forces expelled about a million Palestinians and destroyed 675 of their villages and cities at the time of its creation.
He further argued that Israel is the only UN member state with unclear official borders, referring to his address at the 74th UN General Assembly, where he questioned the international community about Israel's borders, but received no answers.
Erdogan also expressed concern that Israel’s leadership would not be satisfied with occupying Gaza and had expanded its aggression to Lebanon. He warned of further Israeli expansion if its actions are not curbed, hinting at risks to Turkey’s own security. Previously, Erdogan claimed that Israel’s ultimate goal in the region might involve Turkish territory, a claim that was criticized by opposition parties, leading to a secret parliamentary session on October 8 to address the Israeli threat.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: official website of the President of the Russian Federation
Based on materials from TASS