Turkey to launch initiatives in UN to annual US’ Jerusalem move: Erdoğan

ISTANBUL

Turkey is launching initiatives in the United Nations to annul Washington’s “disgraceful” decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Dec. 15.

“We, as Turkey, are determined to do our bit on this issue. We will wash the dirty laundry of those who breach international law. We will work to annul this unlawful decision, first in the Security Council and then in the U.N. General Assembly, if it is vetoed there,” Erdoğan said via teleconference, addressing a rally in solidarity with Jerusalem in the Central Anatolian province of Konya.

He stated that the U.S. had violated the 1980 U.N. Security Council decision on Jerusalem and said “no country was superior than the law.”

Erdoğan said that Muslims “would never succumb to such double standards and injustice,” adding that Ankara was also launching initiatives to make other countries recognize the Palestinian state.

“Right now, 137 countries in the world recognize the Palestinian state. God willing, this number will further increase with our efforts,” he said.

The president also recalled that Turkey had called an extraordinary Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) meeting in Istanbul on Dec. 13 “seven days after the provocative announcement of the U.S. government.”

“During the summit, we took historic decisions regarding Jerusalem and Palestine. We declared the U.S. statement on Jerusalem as null, void and illegal. We also recognized Jerusalem as the under-occupation capital of the Palestinian state. Right now, Jerusalem is the capital of Palestine in the presence of all OIC member countries. We have invited all countries, primarily European, to recognize the independence of Palestine and accept Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine,” he said.

Erdoğan also noted that Ankara launched new funds “to protect the historic and Muslim identity of Jerusalem and Palestinian families.”

“With those funds, we will prevent neighborhoods, houses and shops belonging to Muslims from being seized by Israel supporting our brothers there in every field,” he said.

“We are Muslims. We cannot be racists, discriminatory and anti-Semitic. We never go off the line of justice, the law and legitimacy because we are fighting for justice, not for vengeance,” Erdoğan added.

Separately, speaking at the opening ceremony of the country’s first driverless metro in Istanbul, Erdoğan said there was “abuse, offense and cruelty” happening in Jerusalem.

He said trying to turn Jerusalem into the capital of a “terror state” was “unacceptable for any belief system, particularly for Muslims.”

“The U.S.’s Jerusalem decision is a new bomb thrown into the arms of the Middle East,” Erdoğan said, reiterating that the holy city was “a red line for Turkey.”

Washington’s move amounted to “a new test” that requires success for every Muslim person and every Muslim-majority country, he added, claiming that the move was “a precursor for new operations against Muslims.”