UPDATES WITH MORE REMARKS BY TURKISH PRESIDENT, REVISES HEADLINE AND DECK
By Seda Sevencan and Serdar Dincel
ISTANBUL (AA) – The Turkish president on Monday criticized the lack of response from Muslim countries in addressing the ongoing genocide in Gaza, while accusing some Western nations of providing full support to Israel.
“A handful of Western countries have provided all kinds of military, political, economic, and moral support to Israel, while the failure of Muslim countries to respond adequately has led to the situation on the ground reaching this point,” Recep Tayyip Erdogan said at an extraordinary joint summit meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Arab League in the Saudi capital Riyadh.
“Israel's goal is to settle in Gaza, eliminate the Palestinian presence in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and ultimately annex the region. There is a gradual movement towards this goal, and we must prevent it," he stressed.
Israel has so far killed some 50,000 Palestinians, 70% of them women and children, in Gaza and other Palestinian territories, Erdogan stressed.
Emphasizing the need for urgent solutions to deliver humanitarian aid to the war-torn enclave, Erdogan said Ankara has so far sent over 84,000 tons of aid to Gaza, and is ready to send much more when restrictions are lifted.
Israel cannot even tolerate the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza and has been keeping aid supplies waiting in Egypt for months, he added.
- Steps against Israel
The Turkish president went on to say that Islamic countries should spearhead steps against Israel.
“First and foremost, it is crucial to impose an arms embargo on Israel, halt trade with it, and isolate it internationally until its aggression comes to an end.
“Türkiye has implemented trade restrictions on Israel. We’re ready to put into action all concrete and realistic proposals that will make the Netanyahu government feel the cost of occupying Palestinian lands," Erdogan stressed.
He also said a two-state solution has no chance under the current Israeli government, adding: “Under these conditions, we must encourage more countries to recognize the state of Palestine.”
“We should encourage as many countries as possible to join South Africa’s case against Israel at the International Court of Justice,” he underlined.
Israel faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its actions in Gaza.
Tel Aviv has continued a devastating offensive on Gaza since an attack last year by Hamas, despite a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire.
The extraordinary Arab-Islamic summit kicked off in Saudi Arabia on Monday to discuss Israel’s ongoing wars in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon.
More than 50 leaders of Arab and Islamic countries are taking part in the summit, including the Turkish president.