After Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's call for Turks to demonstrate in support of Gaza in Istanbul, hundreds of thousands of people gathered on a Saturday afternoon to protest at Atatürk Airport in the city. Prominent Turkish politicians also participated in the demonstration, including President Erdogan himself.
During the rally, President Erdogan utilized social media to broadcast the event live on Twitter, stating, "We are at the great Palestine rally." In his address, Erdogan strongly criticized the state of Israel, accusing it of carrying out a covert massacre in Gaza, shielded from the world's view. He went on to declare, "We will declare Israel a war criminal."
In response to these provocative statements from Turkey, Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen announced shortly after the rally that Israeli diplomats would be recalled from Turkey for a reassessment of diplomatic relations.
🚨WW3 Update🚨
— Elephant Civics (@ElephantCivics) October 29, 2023
Speaking at a massive pro-Palestine rally, the President of Turkey, Erdogan, said, “We can come at any night unexpectedly.” The crowd chanted, “Turkish military to Gaza!” Israel has pulled Ambassador
No response from the WEAK Biden admin. pic.twitter.com/PgFsIcpQtc
President Erdogan's rhetoric at the demonstration was confrontational, as he assigned blame to "the West" for the situation in Gaza. He asserted, "Factors in the West have become deaf and are unable to hear the cries of the deceased in Gaza and the words of the UN Secretary-General. The West is fully supporting those responsible for the deaths of innocent children. Israel's existence depends on this support." Erdogan also claimed that "the West's covert strategies have been exposed. We are aware of who is backing the terrorist organizations in northern Syria and Iraq. Liberal institutions are attempting to undermine our nation, and we see similar patterns in Gaza."
Erdogan reiterated, "Our criticism of Israel stems from the fact that we do not owe them allegiance, unlike Western nations. I want to emphasize that Hamas is not a terrorist organization, as they are portrayed. Today, we stand in solidarity with Gaza, and we will not be satisfied with merely condemning the ongoing massacres. Israel's disregard for civilian lives will have significant consequences sooner or later."
Congratulations Turkey!
— Geert Wilders (@geertwilderspvv) October 29, 2023
Now just get rid of Islamist dictator @RTErdogan and elect a leader proud of Ataturks legacy who will focus on a true secular state, invest in the security and rights of women and stops the mass immigration of Arabs to Turkey. #Atatürk #Turkey #Erdoğan https://t.co/wxZ9ZBvh0V
These strong statements by Erdogan coincide with a global wave of protests in support of Gaza and Hamas. Just last week, approximately 100,000 people gathered for a pro-Palestinian demonstration in central London. Demonstrators displayed signs that read "Free Palestine" and "Stop Bombing Gaza." The crowd chanted slogans against Israel, including labeling it a "terrorist state." One protester held a sign featuring images of the leaders of Israel, the United States, and the United Kingdom, with the words "Wanted for war crimes" next to the photos of Benjamin Netanyahu, Joe Biden, and Rishi Sunak.
