Parliament to hold closed session on 'Israel threats'

ANKARA

Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş has said the assembly will convene in a closed session to address potential security threats posed by Israel in light of its ongoing military actions in the Palestinian territories and Lebanon.

"This will be an important meeting, not only for discussion but also to take the necessary measures and further increase the sensitivity of our parties and MPs on this issue," Kurtulmuş said during an event in the capital Ankara on Oct. 3.

Relevant ministers are likely to participate in the session to provide further insight, he added.

Kurtulmuş’s decision follows a call from main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Özgür Özel.

"We want information about Türkiye's security issue. We want to know if there is a threat in the Israeli issue," Özel told reporters in the southern city of Antalya earlier that day.

His remarks came after President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan warned on Oct. 1 that the "next place Israel will set its eyes on will be Türkiye."

"The sentences Erdoğan uttered are striking and worrying," Özel said.

"We hope that he will inform the parliament as soon as possible. If the president voices such a clear threat to the Turkish Republic, he should explain it with concrete reasons."

The CHP leader vowed not to allow this issue to be used as a distraction from the country’s internal problems.

"Everyone is worried about the 'Stand behind me, there is a state of war' discourse and the 'You are hungry, you are poor, but the danger is great, you should support me' pragmatism," he said.

"If you see a danger, tell the parliament and let us do what is necessary together... If the danger is great, we are in favor of unity and solidarity."

The CHP backs the government's diplomatic efforts and its calls for international action against Israeli aggression, Özel said.

"We have condemned Israel's crimes against humanity from the very beginning," he added.

"The Palestinian cause is the cause of every CHP member."