Int’l community silent, Türkiye not: Palestine’s Abbas at Turkish Parliament

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is on an important visit to Ankara from Aug. 14 to 15 at the invitation of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The visit is significant, as Abbas is to addressing the ongoing Israeli attacks on Palestinian territories, particularly in Gaza, during his speech at the Turkish Parliament on Aug. 15.

During his speech at the Turkish Parliament, where he addressed the world, Abbas said: “I come from the blessed land of Palestine, from Jerusalem. I represent my people who have endured the great catastrophe since 1948.”

“We remain steadfast in holding on to our homeland, our sacred values, and our unwavering national rights. We are waging a determined struggle against the occupying force of Israel, and I firmly believe that our national struggle will ultimately lead to success,” he added.

‘International community remains silent, but Türkiye is not’

Abbas underlined that Türkiye did not remain silent about the massacre in Gaza.

“We greatly appreciate Türkiye’s leading role under the leadership of President Erdogan. We commend him for his principled stance in defending the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people,” the Palestinian leader went on to add.

He also congratulated all political parties and civil society organizations in Türkiye for rejecting the heinous crimes committed by Israel against our people, our land, and our sacred sites.

“I also thank the brotherly Turkish people for their sincere feelings and noble stance in supporting the Palestinian people,” he added.

Abbas continues, adding: “We have great confidence in Turkey, as it has made the Palestinian cause one of its main issues. The Palestinian cause has indeed become a central issue in Türkiye. This reflects the moral values and political principles of the Turkish people.”

‘There cannot be another state in Gaza’

Underlining that there cannot be another state in Gaza other than Palestine, Abbas said: “There cannot be another state in Gaza. And there cannot be a Palestinian state without Gaza. Our people will not surrender. We will rebuild Gaza again.”

“Even if more than 70% of it is destroyed. We will do it with the support of our people, with the support of the Arab and Islamic Ummah and the free people of the world to build our future independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital. This at any cost,” he said.

‘Israel won’t go unpunished’

Underlining that Israeli war criminals won’t go unpunished over their crimes, Abbas asserted: “Murderers and war criminals will not get away with their crimes. Their crimes do not expire by the statute of limitations.”

“They will undoubtedly be held to account. We will continue here with international organizations. Netanyahu is being tried in court. We will work for the Palestinian state’s place in the international community,” he added.

Special thanks to Türkiye

Abbas thanked Türkiye in his speech, saying: “I would like to thank Türkiye for its humanitarian aid. They sent tens of thousands of tons of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip. Türkiye treated the wounded in its hospitals. It demonstrated solidarity in its streets.”

“Our Turkish brothers and sisters have stood by us in all fields, political, diplomatic and legal. They told the Palestinian story and stood against disinformation. They stood against all kinds of destruction. Netanyahu’s lie in the U.S. Congress was neither the first nor the last. I thank you very much,” he added.

‘I decided to go to Gaza’

“The U.S. has used its veto right three times. At a time when the whole world says ‘stop’ to Israel’s hostile aggression, the U.S. Security Council can easily come and use its ‘veto’ right. In return, 14 countries say ‘Stop the war’. Here it is, unfortunately. The U.S. is a disaster and its disaster continues,” Abbas censured.

Abbas declared he would go to Gaza, saying: “I want to announce something here in the presence of you, in the presence of the world.

“For the Palestinian people, I, together with my brothers in the Palestinian leadership, have decided to go to Gaza. I will do it,” Abbas said.

‘We stand together’

Stating that they stand together against Israel, Abbas said: “We stand together against the enmity that knows no borders. Even if the price is our lives, my life, our life is not more valuable than the life of the smallest child in Gaza.”

Abbas said that the only solution is victory and that they are following the ruling of Islam, adding: “I call on the U.N. to fulfill its humanitarian duties with its officials. If our goal is peace and stability for all, we say let’s do it.”

Abbas said that he would also go to Jerusalem.

“I also address the U.N. General Assembly, which passed 80 resolutions that have not been implemented; I want to say that after Gaza, we will head to Jerusalem al-Sharif. I will also go to our eternal capital,” he concluded.