President Erdoğan: “It is essential to exert pressure on Israel at every level”

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan emphasized that a much larger humanitarian tragedy is occurring in the Middle East than the war in Ukraine, stating, “Considering the nearly 50,000 casualties, it is essential to exert pressure on Israel at all levels to urgently achieve a ceasefire and ensure uninterrupted and sufficient humanitarian aid reaches the region.”

President Erdoğan addressed participants at the General Session of the Fifth Summit of the European Political Community held in Budapest, Hungary. He stated, “We have gathered at the Fifth Summit of the European Political Community in Budapest to address the multi-dimensional security challenges facing the continent. We see the European Political Community as a platform where we sincerely address common threats to our continent.”

Call for recognition of the Palestinian state

Noting that the negative impacts of the war in Ukraine are deepening every day, Erdoğan remarked, “On the other hand, a much larger humanitarian tragedy than the war in Ukraine, in terms of destruction and civilian casualties, is taking place in the Middle East. Considering the nearly 50,000 casualties, it is essential to exert pressure on Israel at all levels to urgently achieve a ceasefire and ensure uninterrupted and sufficient humanitarian aid reaches the region.” He also emphasized that recognizing Palestine as a state is an important issue, stating, “I appreciate the steps taken in this direction by Ireland, Norway, Spain, and Slovenia, and I congratulate them on behalf of my country and my nation. I call on all countries that have not yet recognized Palestine to do so to contribute to global justice and peace.”

“We want to see concrete cooperation from our European partners in the fight against terrorist organizations PKK and FETÖ”

At the summit where security threats facing Europe were discussed, Erdoğan also touched on the issue of combating terrorism, saying, “In cooperation and solidarity against terrorism, it is our collective responsibility to fight without discriminating between terrorist organizations. We want to see concrete cooperation from our European partners in the fight against terrorist organizations PKK and FETÖ.” In his statement, President Erdoğan also addressed the issues of xenophobia and Islamophobia in Europe, stating, “Hatred, anti-Islam sentiment, and racism in Europe undermine social cohesion and stability. It should now be accepted that xenophobia and anti-Islam sentiment is a fundamental human rights issue that threatens not only Muslims and immigrants but the peace and security of the entire society.”

“There is no reasonable explanation for the years-long obstruction of the membership process of a candidate country like Turkey, which makes significant contributions to the welfare and security of the continent”

Erdoğan also addressed Turkey’s EU membership process, stating, “There is no reasonable explanation for the years-long obstruction of the membership process of a candidate country like Turkey, which makes significant contributions to the welfare and security of the continent. It is clear that strengthening our membership perspective in the current geopolitical context will be beneficial for both Europe and our immediate geography. As Turkey, we are ready for dialogue and cooperation to advance our relations with the European Union on a healthy basis.”