Netanyahu government’s recognition of Armenian genocide sparks Turkish anger
Türkiye strongly condemned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s statements, in which he acknowledged for the first time what he described as the “genocide” suffered by Armenians by the Ottoman Empire during World War I.
In an official statement from the Turkish Foreign Ministry, Ankara considered these statements to be aimed at diverting attention from the crimes being committed in the Gaza Strip, as political exploitation of historical tragedies.
Turkish Foreign Ministry asserted that Netanyahu is attempting to evade his government’s responsibility for what is happening in Gaza by selectively reviving events dating back to 1915 to serve his current political goals.
Netanyahu’s remarks came during an interview on an US podcast hosted by Patrick Beth-David, sparking strong reactions in Ankara and regional diplomatic circles, particularly given Israel’s ongoing military operations in Gaza and the escalating humanitarian crisis there.
In a related context, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan reiterated his country’s support for the Palestinian cause during the emergency meeting of foreign ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), recently held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Fidan emphasized that Palestinians are facing a systematic war of extermination in the Gaza Strip, noting that more than half a million people are at risk of famine due to the ongoing blockade and the denial of humanitarian aid.
Fidan called for a unified Islamic movement to protect the Palestinian people, emphasizing that what is happening is not the result of a natural disaster, but rather a direct consequence of Israeli policies that prevent aid and target civilians.
The Turkish minister stated that the Israeli government rejects all peace efforts and is working to completely obliterate the Palestinian presence.
He emphasized that Türkiye won’t allow this to happen, and that international recognition of the State of Palestine is expanding and becoming irreversible.
In a worrying development, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) warned of a doubling of malnutrition rates among children in Gaza, particularly those under five, between March and June.
The World Health Organization also announced that the nutritional situation in the Gaza Strip has reached critical levels, stating that one in five children in Gaza City suffers from severe, life-threatening malnutrition.
Concluding his remarks, the Turkish Foreign Minister stressed the need to maintain strong and coordinated international pressure on Israel, with the goal of achieving a permanent and just solution to the Palestinian issue and ending the blockade and ongoing suffering in the Gaza Strip.
