Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, President of Türkiye, voiced regret at the absence of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at a time when Palestine is being recognized by an increasing number of countries.  “I call on all the other countries who have not done so yet to recognize the State of Palestine as soon as possible,” he said.  President Erdoğan warned that grave events unfolding worldwide, particularly in Gaza, were casting “a shadow” over the UN Charter’s opening article: to maintain international peace and security.  “Right before our very eyes genocide has been going on for over 700 days now and as we speak, Israel is currently massacring civilians in Gaza,” he said.  Over 65,000 people have been killed, including over 20,000 children, he observed, adding:  “For the last 23 months, a child has been murdered by Israel in Gaza every hour.  Yes, every hour.”

Painting a grim picture of conditions in Gaza marked by starvation, the collapse of healthcare infrastructure, destruction of schools and hospitals, targeting of journalists and humanitarian workers, with children undergoing amputations without anaesthesia, he stated:  “This represents the lowest point of humanity.  Human history has not witnessed such bloodshed within the last century”.  He said “there is no war in Gaza,” as one cannot talk about the presence of two sides, when one side is represented by a regular army with the most modern weapons and the other is represented by innocent civilians and children.  “This is not fight against terrorism.  This is an occupation, deportation, exile, genocide and life destruction,” he asserted.  Noting that Israel is not limiting itself to Gaza and the West Bank, but also launching attacks on Syria, Iran, Yemen and Lebanon, he underscored:  “The attack on Qatar has also shown that the Israeli leadership is now completely out of control.”  He said “we cannot continue with this madness anymore,” calling for an immediate ceasefire, unimpeded humanitarian access and accountability under international law.  “Everyone who is keeping silent is an accomplice to this barbarity,” he emphasized.  He urged world leaders to have the courage to fulfil their humanitarian duty towards Gaza “where children are raising children”.

Turning to regional issues, President Erdoğan voiced support for a political resolution in Syria, welcoming the “8 December revolution” as a step towards “a unified Syria with no forms of terrorism”.  He expressed hope that the nuclear issue with Iran would be resolved through diplomacy as soon as possible, adding:  “It should not be forgotten that our region cannot tolerate yet another crisis.”  Stressing the importance of Iraq’s stability for regional well-being, he also underlined Türkiye’s role in facilitating dialogue between Russia and Ukraine under the Istanbul process, noting:  “Do not forget there is no winner of war and no losers of a just peace.”  He welcomed steps towards peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia, commended progress under the Ankara process and reiterated his call for international recognition of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, declaring:  “There are two separate States and two separate peoples on the island of Cyprus. […]  The international community must put an end to the unfair and inhumane isolation that the Turkish Cypriots have been subjected to for half a century now.”

Reaffirming support for the Secretary-General’s UN80 Initiative, he concluded with a call for reform of the Security Council:  “We will continue to say the world is bigger than five until a system is established where the righteous are powerful, not the powerful are righteous.  Our duty is not to abandon the system, but rather to repair it and to make it work again.  Without a doubt, a more just and fairer world is possible.  Türkiye will patiently continue its fight for the construction of a more just world.”