Massive rally held in Istanbul to support Palestine

ISTANBUL

The ruling Justice and Development Party's (AKP) organized a large rally in solidarity with Palestine, on Oct. 28 at Atatürk Airport.

The rally aimed to draw attention to what the organizers have described as "Israeli brutality" in the region.

President and AKP leader Recep Tayyip Erdoğan attended the rally.

Erdoğan called Western powers "the main culprit behind the Israeli army's massacre" of Palestinians in Gaza.

"The main culprit behind the massacre unfolding in Gaza is the West," Erdoğan told the rally of several hundred thousand Palestinian supporters in Istanbul.

The rally also witnessed the participation of leaders from the ruling Nation Alliance, including Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli, Great Union Party (BBP) leader Mustafa Destici, New Welfare Party (YRP) leader Fatih Erbakan, Free Cause Party (HÜDA PAR) leader Zekeriya Yapıcıoğlu and Democratic Left Party (DSP) leader Önder Aksakal.

This event marked the first gathering of the People's Alliance since the elections held in May.