Erdogan focuses on Israel's nuclear capabilities

A significant gathering occurred in Riyadh's Saudi capital as the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Arab League held an Extraordinary Joint Summit. The meeting saw various leaders come together to address pressing issues affecting the Islamic world, particularly the plight of Palestinians. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan made a speech at the summit.

As reported by NTV, President Erdogan began by expressing his gratitude to the attendees, underscoring his hope for the summit's favorable outcome for Palestinians and the Islamic community. With a focus on unity, he condemned the ongoing violence in the region, describing it as "unprecedented barbarism in history," with attacks on hospitals, schools, and refugee camps resulting in civilian casualties.

Erdogan highlighted the imagery of suffering, with children's bodies in hospitals and parents in a desperate search for their loved ones, as a testament to the atrocities that have persisted for over a month. He accused Israel of taking out its revenge on women and children, emphasizing that the Palestinians' defense of their homeland cannot be equated with Israel's actions.

The Turkish President criticized the silence from Western nations, pointing to the 12,000 Palestinian deaths, 70 percent of whom he stated were women and children, according to the UN. He condemned the lack of action and the failure to call for a ceasefire, suggesting that Israeli ambitions have compromised Western values.

Addressing the global response, Erdogan commended the voices raised against the massacre and urged Israel's allies to heed these calls. He stressed the necessity for a permanent ceasefire, not merely a temporary pause, and lauded nations' efforts to provide humanitarian aid and medical treatment to those affected.

A significant concern raised by Erdogan was the issue of Israel's nuclear capabilities, which he insisted must be investigated. He called for accountability for crimes against humanity and war crimes and for Israel to compensate those it has "massacred, persecuted and occupied."

Reiterating support for the Palestinian cause, Erdogan asserted that efforts toward normalization in the region would fail unless the Palestinian issue is addressed. He advocated for the establishment of a sovereign Palestinian state within the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. He proposed an international peace conference as a step toward a permanent solution.