Turkey condemns Israeli attacks on Al Aqsa, urges world to take action

ANKARA

Turkey’s president, in a statement early on May 9 urged the world to take effective action against Israeli attacks on Al-Aqsa, Jerusalem, and Palestinian homes.

“Jerusalem is the world itself. And the Muslims there is humanity itself,” President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Twitter.

He said that protecting the honor and dignity of the holy city of Jerusalem was the duty of every Muslim.

"We regard every attack on places of worship, chiefly Al-Aqsa, and on Muslims, as attacks made on us," he said. "It is the duty of every individual who calls themselves a human being, to oppose tyrants that defile Jerusalem, home to the sacred for the three religions."

He underlined that remaining silent or not taking a significant stand against the attacks by the state of Israel "is no different than supporting them" and "is accessory to the tyranny going on Palestinian lands."

Erdoğan on May 8 strongly condemned Israel’s recent violence against worshippers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.

"We strongly condemn Israel's heinous attacks against our first qibla Al-Aqsa Mosque, that is, unfortunately, being carried out every Ramadan," he said in a tweet.

The president also expressed solidarity with the people of Palestine, saying: "As Turkey, we will continue to stand by our Palestinian brothers and sisters in all circumstances."

Erdoğan also shared the same message in Turkish, Arabic, and Hebrew via social media.

Meanwhile, Devlet Bahçeli, the head of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) on May 8, also harshly criticized an Israeli raid on Al-Aqsa.

Bahçeli noted that Israeli attacks targeted not only Palestinians' freedom of worship but also the status of Al-Aqsa Mosque and said: “Jerusalem is our first qibla, and it will not be ceded.”

The MHP leader argued that Israel utilized violence as a political instrument and wished a swift recovery to Palestinians injured during Israeli attacks.

Protest held against Israeli attacks

Meanwhile, a protest was staged outside the Israeli Consulate in Istanbul on May 8 against Israeli attacks in occupied East Jerusalem's neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah.

The protesters held Turkish and Palestinian flags and chanted slogans such as “Palestinians are not alone.”

“Where are you world? You say human rights; you say the International Criminal Court; why do you keep silent about this persecution?” Bülent Yıldırım, head of the Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH), a Turkish charity, said at the protest.