Turkey urges more action for Palestine

ANKARA

Turkey is pushing the Islamic world to take more concrete diplomatic actions for the protection of Palestinians amid intensifying Israeli attacks in Jerusalem and Gaza, calling for initiatives at both the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the United Nations.

“What we desire is that active measures are taken,” Vice President Fuat Oktay told reporters after morning prayers marking the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan on May 13. “There are decisions taken repeatedly at the United Nations; there are condemnations. But unfortunately, no result has been obtained because a clear stance is not displayed.”

According to the diplomatic sources, the Permanent Representatives Committee of OIC held a meeting on May 11 in Jeddah upon the initiative of Turkey, condemning the Israeli aggression while agreeing to step up efforts for the well-being of Palestinians.

“[The OIC] demands that the relevant international actors, including United Nations General Assembly, the Human Rights Council, the High Commissioner for Human Rights and special rapporteurs implement relevant international resolutions and recommendations and activate the necessary mechanisms to stop these violations, hold their perpetrators accountable and deter them,” read a joint statement by the representatives.

Diplomatic sources informed that the OIC representatives, upon Turkey’s request, agreed to hold an emergency meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers or an open-ended meeting of the Executive Committee at the ministerial level at the earliest convenience to review the situation.

Again upon Turkey’s request, the OIC called upon the president of the U.N. General Assembly “to convene an emergency session of the U.N. General Assembly to discuss these outrageous developments, with a view to putting an end to these atrocities against the Palestinian people, ensuring the accountability for these crimes and providing international protection for the Palestinian civilian population.”

Stating that Turkey has responded in the strongest manner to the attacks Israel carried out recklessly against Al-Quds, Gaza, the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Palestinians and has continued its initiatives at every level to that end, Erdoğan said the international community should also give a strong and deterrent lesson to Israel.

Peace force for Palestinians

The need for the deployment of an international peace force for the protection of Palestinians has been raised by Erdoğan during a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin on May 12.

A readout of the conversation released by the Turkish Presidency stressed that Erdoğan underlined “that works on the idea of sending an international protection force to the region in order to protect the Palestinian civilians should also be carried out,” expressing his belief that “Turkey and Russia would display close cooperation on all these issues at the U.N.”

Underscoring that the statement by the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs highlighting the U.N.’s parameters and the two-state solution was important, Erdoğan stressed showing that Turkey and Russia were of the same opinion on the developments taking place in Palestine presented a significant message.

He also pointed out that it was important that the U.N. Security Council intervened in the matter before the crisis further worsened and that the Council should convey determined and clear messages to Israel on halting its attacks.

World bigger than five

On Twitter, late May 12, Erdoğan reiterated that Israel’s actions violate basic human rights and so must be brought to an immediate halt. Turkey demands the “despicable attacks on [Jerusalem’s] Al-Aqsa Mosque and Muslims be stopped immediately,” he said.

Decrying Israel’s actions as “violating decisions by humanity’s common organizations, fundamental human rights, international law and all human values,” Erdoğan said: “It is the duty of every single Muslim to protect the honor, glory and dignity of the holy city of Jerusalem.”

If the U.N. Security Council fails to stop Israel with immediate and effective measures, this confirms that the international system is broken, Erdoğan said.

Reiterating his critique of the U.N. Security Council and its five permanent unrepresentative members, Erdoğan said, “The world is bigger than five.”