Erdoğan foresees end to 'Gaza massacres as Islamic world grows'

ISTANBUL

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has declared that the growing strength of the Islamic world, both politically and militarily, will "soon put an end to the ongoing massacres" in Gaza, which he says are backed by Western states.

Erdoğan argued the increased self-confidence within the Islamic and Turkic worlds, notably referencing Azerbaijan's recapture of Karabakh in September.

"There is now a much more positive and courageous atmosphere in both the Islamic and Turkic worlds than in the past," Erdoğan told the audience at Istanbul's Atatürk Culture Center late on Dec. 16.

The president asserted that Türkiye's rise in power will also contribute to this perceived process, ultimately curbing what he defines as the aggressive actions of Israel in the Palestinian territories.

"Don't worry, the days when we will prevent the massacres in Gaza and the aggressive actions of the cruel Israeli government in Jerusalem with the support of Western states are near, God willing," Erdoğan said.

Drawing attention to the historical events in the region since 1947, Erdoğan highlighted the gradual shrinking of Palestinian lands. "Think about Palestine in 1947 and Palestine now. From where to where? How did they exploit it?" he added.

"The world Zionism is trying to take what happened in Palestine even further, just as they have determined this condemnation and these borders."

Meanwhile, the president also raised his concerns over what he termed as the "insidious, destructive and negative effects" of international social media platforms.

Erdoğan asserted that many societies around the world, particularly in Western countries, are anxious about the future due to the perceived detachment of new generations.

"We also have to protect our children against this new media," he remarked.

The president pointed out the detrimental effects of foreign social media platforms, linking their usage to significant moral decay and corruption. He went on to express his worries about the emergence of "deviant movements that distort and threaten the national structure of Türkiye."

Erdoğan linked the perceived moral corruption disseminated through these social media channels with "attacks on families," emphasizing the connection between ethical sustenance, prosperity and the values instilled within families.

"We should evaluate the attacks on the family institution in the world and in our country from this perspective," Erdoğan stated. He argued that a society fostering individuals enslaved by ego and greed cannot produce "halal sustenance" — permissible and ethical livelihood in Islamic terms.