Erdoğan: 'No one can make us call Hamas a 'terrorist organization''

AKP Chairman and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan attended the general assembly of the Ilim Yayma Foundation.

Erdoğan, who had previously declared that 'Hamas is not a terrorist organization,' reiterated his remarks in his speech there.

"No one can make us call Hamas a terrorist organization," said Erdoğan, adding, "Turkey is a country that speaks very openly and clearly with Hamas leaders and stands firmly behind them... Instead of throwing arrows at each other, we should primarily deal with these mentalities."

Highlights from Erdoğan's statements:

Mr. President, esteemed members, my dear young brothers and sisters, I greet you with my most heartfelt feelings. I would also like to thank the respected administrators of our foundation. Ilim Yayma is among the institutions with the most deeply rooted and powerful traditions in our country. Like a great plane tree, our foundation continues to embrace those who travel the path of knowledge and service.

Our foundation has been working for more than half a century. I offer my gratitude to all foundation members who strive to encourage the spread of knowledge throughout the country. I remember our foundation members who have passed into eternity with respect. I would especially like to commemorate Yücel Çelikbilek, our fellow traveler and veteran whom we lost 4 years ago. With God's permission, as long as this hearth continues to burn, the book of deeds of our foundation's veterans will not close.

We will never forget these soldiers of goodness. Of course, while doing this, we will pay our debt of gratitude by carrying our foundation much further. We will support more students.

Starting from secondary education, we will stand by our children in need. We will ensure the enrichment of our treasure of knowledge. I thank every employee working with the vision of raising children who are beneficial to the homeland and the nation. As long as our nation grants us authority, we will always be by your side. As long as you continue to put in the effort to raise generations loyal to their cause. Strive for a youth that says 'I am here' without looking left or right. The rest is just a matter of time.

The owner of our cause, for which we are honored to dedicate our lives, the cause of establishing justice on earth, the cause of reviving our civilization, is Almighty Allah. As long as we keep our intentions pure, no one can block our path.

"HAS EXCEEDED THE LIMITS OF TOLERANCE"

We are preparing to welcome Ramadan. We will wake up for our first suhoor, God willing, and observe our first fast. I wish it to be a source of goodness for the entire Islamic world and our nation. We will try to observe this holy month in the best way possible together. However, we are welcoming the month of Ramadan with serious human tragedies in many regions, especially in Gaza.

What is happening in Gaza has now exceeded the limits of tolerance. Israel, a terrorist state, is implementing a full-blown genocide policy with the backing of Westerners. More than 32 thousand Palestinians have been martyred. 2 million people have been forced to leave their homes. We are facing barbarism.

"NETANYAHU AND HIS ADMINISTRATION ARE THE NAZIS OF OUR TIME"

Netanyahu and his hate-blinded administration have added their names to the list of modern-day villains as the Nazis of our time. We are doing what is necessary to hold these mass murderers accountable under International Law.

In 155 days, we have encountered many events that truly broke our hearts and made us blush as human beings. We have all witnessed together how Human Rights have turned into nothing more than a piece of paper.

There are still very significant shortcomings in the Islamic world regarding acting together and preventing oppression. The Islamic world, with a population of 2 billion, could not fully fulfill its duty of brotherhood. Of course, a lot of effort was made. Diplomatic efforts were exerted. However, the massacre of Gazans with bombs could not be prevented. There are many reasons for this situation. Muslims are seen as stepchildren.

Turkey objects to this role assigned to us. From the very first day of Israel's attacks, we mobilized all our resources for the Palestinian people. We brought the Palestinian issue to the agenda in all our meetings. We became the voice of Gaza in all the meetings we attended. We championed the cause of the Palestinians defending their lands.

We used our recently improved relations with Egyptian authorities to deliver aid. Our aid has reached 40 thousand tons. Another ship carrying 3 thousand tons of aid will arrive tomorrow. In addition to food, water, hygiene, and shelter materials, there are ambulances, a field hospital, and tents. We will increase aid even further throughout the month of Ramadan. The treatment of our brothers and sisters we brought to our country also continues. We are in close dialogue with Hamas and Palestinian groups.

TURKEY IS A COUNTRY THAT STANDS FIRMLY BEHIND HAMAS

We are trying to help with all our means, as far as our reach and power allow. Our Palestinian brothers and sisters are the closest witnesses to this. I want to state this very clearly; Turkey is indisputably the country that champions the Palestinian cause at the highest level.

The whole world knows very well that Tayyip Erdoğan stands today exactly where he stood 15 years ago when he shouted "one minute" to the faces of the murderers. I invite those who treat us unfairly on an issue we are most sensitive about to question themselves. Our struggle is clear. 21 years ago, during my first visit to America as chairman, they asked me about Hamas there. They called it a terrorist organization. I told them there, "Hamas is not a terrorist organization, it is a resistance organization." I wasn't even prime minister then.

Now, no one can make us call Hamas a terrorist organization. Turkey is a country that speaks very openly and clearly with Hamas leaders and stands firmly behind them... Instead of throwing arrows at each other, we should primarily deal with these mentalities."

News Source: 12punto