Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan reaffirmed Türkiye’s unwavering support for Palestine on Monday, declaring that Ankara will never submit to pressure from the “global Zionist lobby” or to the smear campaigns of its domestic agents.

Speaking at a press conference following a meeting of the Presidential Cabinet at the Presidential Complex in Ankara, Erdoğan emphasized that Türkiye stands firmly with the Palestinian people in their struggle for freedom, dignity, and justice.

“We neither give in to the pressures of the global Zionist lobby nor bow down to the smear campaigns of their hitmen among us,” Erdoğan said. “We stand firmly by the Palestinian people, who defend their lands, freedom, and dignity. Everyone, be they friend or foe, is very well aware that Türkiye today supports the oppressed fighting for freedom and justice.”

The president hailed the steady rise in international recognition of the State of Palestine, noting that the number of countries extending official recognition has now reached 158. He underscored Türkiye’s leading role in this diplomatic effort, recalling Ankara’s decades-long support for Palestinian statehood.

“As a country that has, in fact, spearheaded this endeavour, we are highly pleased that the number of countries recognising Palestine has reached 158,” he said.

Erdoğan also highlighted Israel’s growing isolation on the global stage. “Except for a handful of countries, almost no one wants to come side by side with Israel and the Netanyahu government or to be photographed with them,” he remarked, stressing that the current Israeli leadership is being shunned even by its former allies.

Turning to the recent 80th session of the UN General Assembly, Erdoğan underlined that despite “Israeli obstruction efforts,” the Palestinian cause dominated the global gathering in New York. He argued that Israel’s brutal war on Gaza, its apartheid policies, and its genocidal actions have become impossible for the world to ignore.

“Despite Israel’s obstruction efforts, the Palestinian cause dominated the 80th General Assembly,” he said. “The conscience of humanity is not blind to the massacres unfolding in Gaza. No amount of Israeli propaganda can erase the truth.”

Erdoğan stressed that Türkiye would continue to champion the Palestinian cause across international platforms — from the United Nations to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). He reaffirmed Ankara’s call for an immediate ceasefire, the lifting of the blockade on Gaza, and full recognition of Palestinian statehood based on 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.

The president also vowed to intensify humanitarian support for Gaza, where tens of thousands have been killed and wounded in the ongoing Israeli genocide, emphasizing that Türkiye will not remain silent while civilians are bombed in homes, hospitals, schools, and churches.

“Türkiye will never be on the side of the oppressor,” Erdoğan concluded. “Our stance is clear: we will always stand with the oppressed, and Palestine is at the heart of this struggle.” (ILKHA)