365bet�����������籭

ISTANBUL 

Türkiye’s president on Friday urged powers with sway over Israel not to “fall for (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu's game,” urging them instead them to use their influence to establish a ceasefire and bring calm to the region.

“It is imperative that hands are taken off triggers in the Israel-Iran conflict before there is more destruction, blood, civilian casualties, and terrible disaster,” Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a speech to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Youth Forum.

Stressing that the Islamic world is going through a difficult time, Erdogan said war, conflict, and instability are all casting a shadow over Muslim regions.

He said both genocide in Gaza and the Israel-Iran conflict are, unfortunately, rapidly approaching a point of no return.

“Israel complained about damage to its hospitals today, yet it has so far carried out over 700 attacks on health care facilities in Gaza alone,” he said.

Highlighting severe shortages in medical supplies and damage to most of the healthcare infrastructure in the enclave, he said Israel has carried out over 700 attacks on health facilities, killed nearly 1,000 healthcare workers, and imprisoned hundreds.

Those who are turning Gaza into the world’s largest concentration camp now speaking of “war crimes” is not only inconsistent but shows shamelessness and impudence, he added.

Gaza has been enduring one of most shameful acts of modern-day barbarism for 21 months, he said, stressing that people standing in food distribution lines in Gaza for a piece of bread or a bowl of soup are being brutally targeted by Israeli forces.

Erdogan praised the resilience of Gaza’s women, orphans, and all Palestinians standing firm against oppression, praying for God’s help and protection.

He also commended the courage of Gaza’s youth who have been heroically defending their land for 622 days against Israel’s brutal attacks, and saluted all Palestinians who uphold the honor and dignity of being Muslim despite the ongoing injustice.

The president said the Netanyahu government is primarily responsible for the ongoing genocide in Gaza, and those who stay silent in the face of these massacres are accomplices to this crime.

“Despite the Zionist lobby’s intimidation tactics against me and my government, we never wavered in our stance and never hesitated to stand by the oppressed,” Erdogan added.

He said that his stance has always been consistent in conflicts such as the Russia-Ukraine war, the conflict in Syria, tensions between Pakistan and India, and attacks against Iran.

The Turkish president emphasized that their focus is not on who says what, but on the voices of the oppressed and victims.

“Today, we stand firmly in the same place. We support the oppressed and victims without discrimination. We say ‘peace,’ ‘diplomacy,’ ‘justice,’ and ‘freedom.’ We say, ‘Long live Free Palestine,’” he added.

Organization of Islamic Cooperation

Erdogan expressed hope that the meetings and consultations to be held during the two-day OIC forum would yield positive outcomes for youth, the Islamic world, and all humanity.

Marking the forum's 20th anniversary, Erdogan underlined the value of its work, saying: “Activities carried out in areas such as education, civil society, entrepreneurship, law, diplomacy, media, human rights, and volunteerism, from the Diplomacy Academy to international incubation centers, are of critical importance for our future.”

Highlighting the significance of initiatives like the Gaza Tribunal, composed of leading global opinion leaders and reflecting the shared conscience of humanity, Erdogan said such platforms are instrumental in exposing Israel’s bloody and treacherous face to the world.

Erdogan added that the OIC Youth Forum, which holds diplomatic status, plays an important role in representing the youth of the ummah (Muslim community) on a global scale through its cooperation with international organizations.

Pointing out that since 2019 the forum has organized 262 programs, reaching over 15 million young people and establishing clubs in 817 universities across over 70 countries, he said that around 25,000 students in these clubs continue their academic initiatives using educational materials prepared by various universities in Türkiye and around the world.