UPDATES WITH MORE REMARKS BY TURKISH PRESIDENT ERDOGAN
By Esra Tekin
ISTANBUL (AA) – Even discussing the claim that Israel would establish a buffer zone in Gaza is disrespectful to the Palestinians, said the Turkish president on Wednesday.
“Gaza belongs to the Palestinians. We do not recognize any decision-maker that ignores their decisions,” Recep Tayyip Erdogan told journalists on his return flight from a two-day visit to Qatar.
Erdogan also expressed Türkiye’s readiness to organize a peace conference for the Israel-Palestine conflict and serve as a guarantor nation, adding the condition: “As long as they genuinely want peace.”
Erdogan added that without the backing of Western countries, “especially the US,” towards Israel the current situation in the region wouldn’t exist.
Mentioning the mass protests against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his ongoing corruption trial before the Oct. 7 Hamas attack, Erdogan said that now, the Israeli judiciary, in collaboration with the occupying forces, is reluctant to make an unfavorable decision on Netanyahu.
"In one way or another, I believe they are on the verge of making this decision (on Netanyahu). On the other hand, we, along with around 3,000 lawyers from various parts of the world, have filed a petition with the International Criminal Court for the international prosecution of Netanyahu and his accomplices” for their violations of international law in Gaza, he added.
He said that Türkiye brought the “war crimes” in Gaza to the court’s attention and will follow up on the issue.
“Netanyahu is on the brink of waving the white flag,” he added.
Netanyahu will not escape the consequences of what he has done, he will be brought to justice and pay the price for war crimes he committed, said Erdogan.
Erdogan further urged Israel to recognize an independent Palestinian state with geographical integrity within the borders of 1967 and to return the “occupied Palestinian territories to their rightful owner.”
“Israel should evacuate the terrorists they promote as settlers from those houses and lands, and consider how to build a future in peace with the Palestinians,” he added.
Israel resumed its military offensive on the Palestinian territory on Friday after the end of a weeklong humanitarian pause with the Palestinian group Hamas.
At least 16,248 Palestinians have been killed and more than 43,616 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.