Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has strongly condemned Israeli actions at the Haram al Sharif, reiterating that the Al Aqsa Mosque and the surrounding complex belong solely to Muslims and must remain intact.
“The Haram al Sharif, which includes Al Aqsa Mosque and the Qubbet al Sakhra (Dome of the Rock), is an indivisible whole and, with its 144-acre area, belongs solely to Muslims,” Erdogan said during his speech at the 3rd International Yeditepe Biennial in Istanbul on Friday.
“We will not allow anyone to undermine this.”
He declared that Al Aqsa is a “red line” for Türkiye, emphasising it would remain so forever. Erdogan called on Israel to immediately halt all provocations, raids, and actions that threaten the sanctity and unity of the holy site.
“Türkiye has never stayed silent in the face of oppression and lawlessness in our region. We will not remain silent now,” he added, affirming continued support for Palestinian rights and the defence of sacred Islamic sites.
‘Defending Palestine is defending humanity, justice, and peace’
Earlier on the day, Erdogan delivered another condemnation of Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza, calling the global silence over atrocities a “moral collapse” and reiterating Türkiye’s unwavering support for the Palestinian people.
"Defending the Palestinian cause is not just about standing with an oppressed people," Erdogan stated on Friday during a meeting of a group of parliaments in support of Palestine in Istanbul, Türkiye.
"It is about defending humanity, peace, and justice," he said.
Since October 7, 2023, over 51,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli attacks on Gaza, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.
Erdogan described these attacks as “a frenzy of violence,” accusing the Israeli government of indiscriminately killing civilians — including children, women, the elderly, and even infants.
"Journalists are being killed while international media outlets stay silent. Children are being massacred while human rights defenders watch in silence," he said.
Hakan Fidan says that everyone has “objections to varying degrees” in reacting to Israel's genocide in Palestine.
‘The West has played the three monkeys’
Erdogan criticised Western powers for what he called hypocritical inaction.
"Those who have long boasted of their commitment to freedom, rights, law, and press liberty have been playing the three monkeys for 18 months in the face of Israel’s massacre policy," he said.
He questioned the double standards of countries quick to impose sanctions elsewhere but silent in this crisis: "Western states, who draw the sanctions weapon even for minor incidents, I ask you — where are you now when it comes to Israel?"
‘A global order that ignores the oppressed will serve the oppressors’
“A global order that does not stand with the oppressed is doomed to become a plaything for tyrants,” Erdogan warned, pointing to the failure of international institutions to enforce accountability in Gaza.
He also voiced deep disappointment in the Muslim world: "It pains me to say this — and my heart bleeds — but the Islamic world has failed to fulfill its responsibilities."
‘Journalists executed, families wiped out’
As of April 2024, at least 212 journalists and media workers have been killed in Gaza since the beginning of the conflict, making it the deadliest period for journalists in modern history, according to the Turkish president.
“Just days ago,” Erdogan said, “a female journalist was martyred along with her 10 family members — executed for telling the truth.”
He lamented the state of international law: “It has ceased to serve justice. It has become a tool to reinforce the power of the strong.”
Turkish Defence Ministry says that the international community must take action to stop Israel's unlawful behavior.
‘Starvation as a weapon, resistance branded as terror’
Israel has severely restricted humanitarian aid into Gaza, prompting warnings from the UN and humanitarian groups of a looming famine. Erdoğan accused Israel of weaponising hunger: “For those they cannot kill with bombs, they cut off food, water, and medicine. It is a systematic campaign of extermination.”
He condemned the labeling of Palestinian resistance as terrorism: "Those who were silent while Palestinians were being slaughtered are now branding Gaza’s resistance as terrorism — attempting to normalise genocide."
‘Middle East in flames, world in danger’
Erdoğan also condemned Israel’s expanding military operations targeting Syria and Lebanon, warning that such escalation threatens to engulf the region in broader conflict.
“The attacks on Syria and Lebanon reveal that Netanyahu’s government does not want peace or stability in the Middle East.”
"This madness, which threatens and unsettles the entire region, must stop immediately," he said. "Otherwise, this fire will soon consume those who are fanning the flames."
‘We will stand with Palestine, even alone’
Erdogan rejected any proposals aimed at displacing Palestinians from their historic homeland: "No matter how it is packaged, any offer to exile Palestinians from the lands they’ve lived on for thousands of years is meaningless to us."
Türkiye, he reaffirmed, will not back down: "We will do everything we can to help Palestinians live freely in their homeland. Even if we stand alone, we will continue to defend the Palestinian cause."
Asaad Nsasrah, missing since last month in Rafah, is confirmed to be in Israeli custody. The Red Crescent says he was abducted while on duty and demands his release.
