Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan delivered a forceful speech at the Extraordinary Joint Summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Arab League in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

In his address, Erdoğan highlighted the severe humanitarian crisis in Gaza, stating: “50,000 Palestinians have been martyred so far in Israel's massacres in Gaza and other Palestinian territories, with 70% of them being children and women.” He extended his condolences to the victims, wishing Allah’s mercy on the deceased and a speedy recovery to the wounded.

Erdoğan criticized the Netanyahu government for escalating military tensions with Iran while simultaneously attacking Lebanon. He condemned Israel’s blockade of Gaza, which has hindered the delivery of humanitarian aid, causing relief supplies to remain stalled in Egypt for months. “We must focus on ensuring an immediate declaration of ceasefire and urgently find ways to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza,” Erdoğan asserted. He emphasized Türkiye’s commitment by noting, “Türkiye has so far sent over 84 thousand tons of aid to Gaza and stands ready to dispatch much more once restrictions are lifted.”

Addressing the broader international community, Erdoğan urged Arab and Islamic countries to boycott Israel, revoke existing agreements, and work collectively to isolate the Israeli occupation state. He called for legal actions against Israel at international courts, emphasizing the prosecution of its war criminals. “The Israeli parliament, by banning the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in recent days, seeks to thwart a two-state solution and prevent Palestinian refugees from returning to their homeland,” Erdoğan warned.

Erdoğan criticized Western countries for their military, political, economic, and moral support of Israel, which he claims has exacerbated the crisis. He highlighted the lack of adequate response from Muslim countries and stressed the importance of unified, law-based initiatives to implement coercive measures against those perpetrating genocide in Gaza. “We cannot allow our differences of opinion or our divergences of approach to impede us in our common causes,” he stated.

Erdoğan underscored the necessity of recognizing Palestine as a sovereign state, particularly following the United Nations General Assembly’s decision on September 18 to implement the International Court of Justice’s advisory opinion on Palestine. He expressed confidence that efforts to secure full membership for Palestine in the United Nations would succeed, stating, “We should encourage more countries to recognize the state of Palestine.”

Praising the participation of over 90 countries in the international alliance meeting held in Riyadh on October 30-31, Erdoğan lauded the collaboration between the OIC and the Arab League. “I pray to Allah that the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Arab League show to the whole world that they are of one voice and one heart on the Palestinian issue,” he said. He expressed hope that the summit’s decisions would lead to tangible outcomes for the people of Palestine and Lebanon.

Concluding his remarks, Erdoğan urged the summit to produce favorable results for Palestine and Lebanon, extending his gratitude to all contributors of the meeting. “As I conclude my remarks, I wish today’s meeting to yield auspicious outcomes for the people of Palestine and Lebanon, and offer my gratitude to anyone who contributed to holding this meeting,” he affirmed.

The speech comes amid escalating tensions and violence in the region, with Israel intensifying its military operations in Gaza and Lebanon. International efforts to broker a ceasefire have so far been unsuccessful, and the humanitarian situation in Gaza remains dire, with widespread destruction of infrastructure and significant civilian casualties.

Erdoğan’s remarks reflect Türkiye’s active role in advocating for Palestinian rights and its efforts to mobilize Muslim and Arab nations to take a unified stance against Israeli actions. The call for an Arab-Islamic alliance aims to increase international pressure on Israel to halt its military campaigns and address the humanitarian needs of the affected populations in Gaza and Lebanon. (ILKHA)