President Erdogan urges UN to recommend force for Gaza akin to 1950 resolution

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday urged the U.N. General Assembly to immediately recommend the use of force for Gaza, akin to the 1950 Uniting for Peace resolution.

“Today, standing up for Palestine and Lebanon means standing up for humanity, peace, and the culture of coexistence among different beliefs,” Erdogan stated after a Cabinet meeting in Ankara.

He condemned Israel’s ongoing attacks on Gaza, the West Bank, and Lebanon, asserting, “A handful of radical Zionists, blinded by blood and hatred, are setting the region and the whole world on fire. We will never consent to this cruelty and barbarism.”

The Uniting for Peace resolution, passed in November 1950, allows the General Assembly to recommend collective measures, including armed force, when the Security Council fails to act due to a lack of agreement among its five permanent members.

Erdogan has consistently criticized the U.N. Security Council for inaction over Israel’s actions, which have resulted in tens of thousands of Palestinian casualties and intensified assaults in Lebanon.

In his recent address to the U.N., Erdogan highlighted Israel’s actions as genocidal and stressed that global peace should not be dictated by the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council, echoing his slogan: “The world is bigger than five.”

‘International community can no longer remain silent’

Erdogan noted that Israel intensified its attacks on Lebanon during the U.N. General Assembly, leading to over 1,000 Lebanese deaths, many of whom were children, in the past two weeks. He reaffirmed Türkiye’s support for Lebanon in his discussions with Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati.

He stated, “As a result of Israel’s attacks, which do not distinguish between civilians and military personnel, the needs of our Lebanese brothers are growing dramatically.”

He emphasized the significant displacement of Lebanese civilians and commended Turkish civil society groups for their humanitarian efforts amid challenging conditions.

“The international community can no longer remain silent in the face of this criminality by Israel, which is setting the entire region on fire,” Erdogan said, advocating for a strong response from Islamic countries against oppression in Gaza, the West Bank, and Lebanon.

Erdogan expressed regret over the lack of global action to compel Israel to accept a cease-fire announced by Hamas. He warned that Israel’s actions are sowing “seeds of enmity that will last for generations.”

“With its escalating state terrorism, Israel is not only undermining faith in international law but also damaging the reputation of the countries that support it,” he added.

Türkiye’s humanitarian assistance

Regarding Turkish humanitarian assistance, Erdogan announced that Türkiye delivered 30 tons of aid to Lebanon on Wednesday and would continue as long as security conditions allow.

Since September 23, Israel’s massive airstrikes on Hezbollah targets have reportedly killed over 960 people and injured more than 2,770 in Lebanon, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry. The ongoing conflict, which began with Hamas’s cross-border attack last October, has resulted in nearly 41,600 Palestinian deaths, predominantly among women and children. The international community has cautioned that Israeli actions could escalate the Gaza conflict into a broader regional war.