Russian journalists slam Israel's ongoing attacks on Gaza, West's role in fanning war

By Faruk Hanedar

ISTANBUL (AA) – Russian journalists Ekaterina Gordon and Maksim Shevchenko on Saturday decried Israel's ongoing aggression on the Gaza Strip, saying the besieged enclave is a source of pain for the entire world and blaming the West for failing to stop Tel Aviv due to their "monetary interests."

“This is genocide and there is no excuse at all for everything they do,” Gordon told Anadolu at the “European Summit for Palestine" organized jointly by the European Muslim Forum, Palestine Judgeship, and Türkiye’s New Welfare Party at Ciragan Palace in Istanbul.

“And I think that Gaza is a place of pain for the whole world. That's why we cannot keep silent about it,” she said.

Gordon expressed her belief that “money is the answer” to all the atrocities committed by Israel, referring to the West’s commercial interest in the ongoing assault on Gaza.

“Unfortunately, a lot of European leaders and big states are connected with a huge business with America and Israel. So, they have dollars in their mouths. That's why they're keeping silent,” she said.

“I don't think that is a question of religion. It's a question of business,” she said, adding: “I'm Christian and I'm together with the Islamic world in this question.”

“I think that we should stand together. We should do everything to be strong. We should do everything for being strong national states, and we should do everything not to be connected with the dollar by the way,” she said.

Gordon praised Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s efforts to find a solution to the recent conflict, saying he is one of the leaders in the world who is not afraid to speak the truth.

Urging the whole world to sanction Israel, Gordon said: “Why you don't name them terrorists because they are?”

- ‘Fighting between monotheism and paganism’

In response to the recent attacks, the other Russian journalist Shevchenko told Anadolu, "It's not only Israeli aggression to Gaza… it is Western aggression to Gaza. Israel is nothing without the US, the EU, and Great Britain. Israel is a part of the West. It's not separated country from the West.”

“Netanyahu and other leaders and politicians of Israel told many times that Israel is part of a democratic and liberal world. Israel is a part of occupation, and Western imperialism on the territory of Islamic civilization,” Shevchenko noted.

Underlining that 10% of the people in Gaza are Orthodox Christian, he said the men of Orthodox Christians are fighting now alongside the Palestinian people.

“What religion (do) we have in the part of Israel? Is it Judaism? No, it's not Judaism. It is the religion of the modern Roman Empire, it is paganism. It is a fighting between monotheism and paganism. Israel is a part of paganism,” Shevchenko alleged.

The most convenient solution is one state in Holly Land, Shevchenko said, adding, “One state for Muslims, Christians, Jews, Druzes, Alevists, all people of Holy Land who can live together. Jews and Muslims can live together. A two-state solution is impossible."

Israel resumed its military offensive on the Gaza Strip on Dec. 1 after the end of a week-long humanitarian pause with the Palestinian group Hamas.

At least 17,487 Palestinians have been killed and more than 46,480 others injured in relentless air and ground attacks on the enclave since Oct. 7 following a cross-border attack by Hamas.

The Israeli death toll in the Hamas attack stood at 1,200, according to official figures.

* Writing by Zehra Nur Duz