‘We will fight colonizers in Middle East,’ Turkish FM vows

ISTANBUL - Anadolu Agency

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu. AA Photo

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu has pledged to “work night and day to remove the colonialists” from the Middle East.

“The main opposition party leader [Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu] and some others call [the Middle East] a quagmire. But we will not let anyone call the Middle East a quagmire, as this place also includes the cave of Hira, which enlightens humanity. We will work night and day to remove the colonialists from this region. We will raise the light of civilizations in the Middle East,” Davutoğlu said, speaking at a pre-dawn Ramadan meal organized by the ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) youth branches in Istanbul’s Topkapı neighborhood.

“We will never abandon the case of the Palestinians, or of Gaza, at any time. Some might say, ‘let’s be neutral.’ Some will say, ‘let’s not get involve in the Middle Eastern quagmire.’ But we consider these places to be our brothers and as sacred, honorable places,” he said, adding that “hearts are beating for Syria, Iraq and Gaza during this year’s Ramadan.”