"Western countries are, regrettably, providing unconditional support for these attacks instead of calling on the Israeli government to exercise restraint. Over the course of 19 days, they have willfully ignored the fundamental right to life of the oppressed people in Gaza, conveniently disregarding their own proclamations on human rights and freedoms. I implore them: have they forgotten about the Universal Declaration of Human Rights? Is it too much to ask for a cursory look at its principles? Well, they do refer to it when it aligns with their interests, and they conveniently set it aside when it doesn't. Why? Because, in their eyes, the blood being shed belongs to Muslims, which, in their distorted perspective, somehow makes it less significant," Turkish President Erdoğan stressed in his speech during a gathering.
During his address at the 8th Family Council held at the Beştepe Presidential Complex in Ankara on Thursday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan made the following remarks:
"The attacks on Gaza have not only exceeded the limits of self-defence but have also transformed into blatant cruelty, massacre, and barbarism. What's truly disheartening is that so-called civilized individuals are simply watching this brutality unfold. Just yesterday, the European Union Commission made the baffling statement that it cannot call for a ceasefire at this point. How many more lives must be lost? How many more innocent children must die before they take action? What is their calculus for determining when a ceasefire is warranted? We demand an explanation so that the world can understand the conditions under which a ceasefire will be initiated.
If this is a matter of politics, then we too can engage in politics. I've been involved in politics for 40 years, and yet I've never witnessed anything quite like this. We cannot stand by as silent observers in the face of such atrocities. Regrettably, Western countries, instead of urging the Israeli government to exercise restraint, are unconditionally endorsing these attacks. For 19 days, they have ignored the right to life of the oppressed people of Gaza, conveniently turning a blind eye to their own proclamations on human rights and freedoms. I implore them: have they forgotten the Universal Declaration of Human Rights? Do they not even take a glance at it? Well, they do when it aligns with their interests, and they disregard it when it doesn't. Why? Because, in their eyes, the blood being shed is Muslim blood, and that somehow makes it less significant. Rather than sending aid ships, they have unequivocally shown their allegiance to certain lobbies by dispatching aircraft carriers and warships. We have come to know them better, and we will continue to do so. This is hypocrisy, pure and simple, and it only fans the flames of this crisis.
So, I ask, how many more innocent children must die before the European Union Commission will call for a ceasefire? How many more tons of bombs must rain down on Gaza before the United Nations Security Council will finally take action? How many more women, civilians, and the elderly must lose their lives before Western organizations will put an end to this massacre? How many more colleagues of journalists must be targeted by bombs before the international media will unflinchingly report the truth? How long are we expected to wait before putting an end to this crisis that has turned our region into an inferno?
The responsibility for every innocent life shrouded in white falls squarely on the shoulders of those who dropped the bombs and those who allowed these atrocities to persist due to their vacillating stances. From media outlets that violate all ethical principles to cover up war crimes to international organizations that persistently turn a blind eye to the massacres, all are complicit in the horrors unfolding in Gaza and the Palestinian territories.
We neither accepted this in the past, nor do we now, and we will never accept it. Our guiding principle is evident: silence in the face of injustice is akin to complicity with the devil. Even if we stand alone, we will not hesitate to speak the unvarnished truth, no matter how painful or discomforting it may be for our interlocutors. We will unapologetically express what we know to be the truth."
