“Free Gaza” rally in Üsküdar... Six parties participated

The “Free Gaza Rally” was organized under the leadership of the Saadet Party to raise voices against Israel’s ongoing attacks and blockade in Gaza. Hundreds of citizens carrying Palestinian flags attended the rally held in Üsküdar Square. The crowd in the square frequently chanted slogans of “Freedom for Gaza.”

POLITICAL LEADERS ARRIVED AT THE VENUE BY SHIP

Saadet Party Chairman Mahmut Arıkan was the first to speak at the rally. Following Arıkan, CHP Chairman Özgür Özel took the stage and delivered a message of solidarity to the people of Gaza. Other political leaders who attended the rally included Future Party (Gelecek Partisi) Chairman Ahmet Davutoğlu, DEVA Party Chairman Ali Babacan, HÜDA PAR Chairman Zekeriya Yapıcıoğlu, and Yeniden Refah Party Deputy Chairman Doğan Bekin. As a symbol of aid to Gaza, the leaders arrived in Üsküdar from Balat by ferry, accompanied by a fleet decorated with Palestinian flags.

MESSAGE OF SUPPORT FROM İMAMOĞLU

CHP’s Istanbul Metropolitan Mayor and presidential candidate Ekrem İmamoğlu sent a message of support to the rally. 

MESSAGE FROM İMAMOĞLU: "ISRAELI AGGRESSION HAS BECOME AN INTERNATIONAL THREAT"

In his message, CHP presidential candidate Ekrem İmamoğlu stated the following: 

"Our region is being dragged to the brink of war. We need peace, stability, and an environment where civilian deaths and violations of international law end in the Middle East more than ever. However, today we are experiencing not peace, but the destructive effects of war and conflict. Israel’s aggression, its massacres that disregard law and conscience, and the international community’s disregard for this have brought our region to this point. Israel, which has been massacring the oppressed in Palestine for years, has now carried out an attack on Iran. These attacks carry the risk of dragging our region into an all-out war. Israeli aggression, which does not face sufficient international sanctions, has now become an international threat that transcends our region.

We see that this attack directly targets the diplomatic initiatives ongoing between the US and Iran, which are of critical importance for reducing regional tension. Israel is worried about the possibility of peace. Israel’s aggression, which disregards diplomacy and international law, wants to make all nations pay a heavy price. This reckless aggression also poses a serious threat to global peace and security. The implementation of necessary sanctions is urgent and mandatory.

Rising oil and gold prices have reached their highest levels in recent months and have damaged the economies of countries. Actions must be taken to stop this aggression by Israel.

We want to see a Middle East where no innocent person is massacred and where there is peace. We must show great determination to fortify our country toward this goal and to ensure stability, development, and justice internally. Hopefully, our country will be the most important representative of peace and hope in this ring of fire. The days when we will achieve a strong-willed and visionary Turkey are near."

ÖZGÜR ÖZEL: "I CONDEMN AND DENOUNCE THIS GREAT CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY"

CHP Chairman Özgür Özel also spoke at the rally. Drawing attention to what is happening in Gaza, Özel called for democracy with the message, "A return to the rule of law is no longer a choice but a necessity." He said, "We will continue to fight to the end so that the olive branch in our hands does not fall, for the sake of humanity’s interests." 

Özel said, “I respectfully salute those who stand by the oppressed, those whose hearts ache when they hear ‘Palestine,’ and those who have filled Üsküdar Square today, refusing to remain silent in the face of injustice, massacre, and genocide. Welcome, all of you. I offer my heartfelt thanks to the Saadet Party Chairman, Mr. Mahmut Arıkan, who organized this beautiful rally, to my esteemed fellow chairmen present here, and in their person, to all political parties and civil society organizations that participated in this meaningful and historic gathering. Today is Father’s Day. I kiss the hands of all our devoted and long-suffering fathers and remember with mercy those who have passed away. But today, thousands of Palestinian children cannot say ‘Father.’ Palestinian fathers are shedding tears at the graves of their lost children. I condemn and denounce the world’s greatest crime against humanity that leaves Palestinian children fatherless and fathers childless.”

Özel stated the following:

“OUR GREATEST NEED IS TO UNITE”

“We are the Republican People’s Party (CHP), Turkey’s oldest party with a history of over 100 years. We are the leading party in the recent elections in our country, by the will of our nation. We are a party that adopts the Palestinian cause as its own. Our path is the path of Deniz Gezmiş and his friends, who marched saying ‘Fully independent Turkey’ and resisted in Fatah camps for a free Palestine. Our stance is preserved through the friendship established between our third Chairman, Prime Minister Bülent Ecevit, and Yasser Arafat. The book of Palestinian Poetry by Isa, a friend, companion, and soulmate of Deniz Gezmiş in Fatah, was delivered to us years later by the hand of his son, whom he entrusted with it on his deathbed. The trust is in our hearts, in our bosoms. What Bülent Ecevit said to Arafat and what Arafat said to Bülent Ecevit is a trust for us, a testament to us. The Republican People’s Party stands with the brotherly Palestinian people today with the same spirit and will continue to do so. The unity here today is greening our hopes. Our greatest need is for both Turkey to unite and for the international community to unite in the struggle for the Palestinian people. In this context, our party is taking all necessary initiatives, and we will continue to do so. As soon as I took office as chairman in November 2023, we wrote letters to all party leaders who are members of the Socialist International, 12 of whom are heads of government in their own countries, to show their reaction to the genocide in Palestine. In our speech at the congress of our sister party, the German Social Democratic Party (SPD), in Berlin in December 2023, we called for the massacre to be stopped. We defended the Palestinian cause and condemned the humanitarian tragedy in all meetings of the Socialist International, chaired by my friend Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, where I also serve as vice president, as well as in the Council of Europe and the European Parliament. For this, we invited all components and all our friends to fight together. From now on, as long as our voices can be heard and our breath lasts, we will continue to defend and tell the story of the Palestinian cause.” 

“THE FAKERY OF THOSE ENGAGED IN SHAM FIGHTS IS DRIPPING FROM THEIR FACES”

“Gaza has been under Israeli oppression for decades. Most recently, there has been a massacre on Gaza soil for over 600 days since October 8, 2023. More than 50 thousand civilians, mostly women and children, have been massacred. All of this is happening because the world has not shown a sufficient reaction to Israel’s rampancy. However, the fakery of those who engage in a sham fight with Netanyahu in warm halls on one hand, while continuing trade with Israel on the other, is dripping from their faces. Our nation cannot stomach this hypocrisy. While trade with Israel continues at full speed, they do not even allow pasta to be taken to Gaza. Most recently, they blocked and stopped the Madleen ship carrying humanitarian aid. The resistance fighters and activists on board were detained. I salute my brothers Şuayip and Yasemin, who were there, from here with respect and affection, bowing before their courage. Unfortunately, those who previously said ‘Did you ask me before going?’ for the Mavi Marmara could not say a word for the Madleen ship either. On the other hand, US President Trump is announcing a plan to evacuate Gaza; he says he will build holiday resorts and casinos in Gaza. However, those who engage in a verbal sparring match with Netanyahu remain silent and speechless when it comes to Trump. The case of Ayşenur Ezgi Eygi, who was martyred by Israeli soldiers in Palestine, is not being championed in America. Rümeysa Öztürk, who was held in detention for 45 days in America for writing an article supporting Palestine, is not being championed. But we are shouting out loud together from here. Trump and his administration are supporters, defenders, and perpetrators of the massacres in Gaza. Everyone who paves the way for Israel shares in these massacres.” 

“WE CONDEMN THE ATTACK ON IRAN IN THE STRONGEST TERMS”

“Israel, which has not faced the necessary reaction, has now attacked Iran. As the Republican People’s Party, we condemn these attacks in the strongest terms. We convey our feelings of solidarity to the Iranian people. Of course, we advocate for a democratic Iran, but we are following what Israel and America did when they went to Iraq, how they dragged Syria into instability, and how they failed to keep their promise for a democratic Syria that is equally represented and governed. We invite all parties to common sense and restraint. The American administration has unfortunately stood behind these attacks as well. Trump says shamelessly, ‘It was a perfect attack, more will come.’ However, those who speak in small letters to Israel are completely silent in the face of Trump. Today, this square is a square where consciences meet. The world is going through a historic turning point, and at this junction, those who defend right and justice, not personal interests or party interests, must stand together and stand strong. No matter where evil comes from, we must stand together. We are here, and we will continue to be here. We will continue to walk shoulder to shoulder with faithful, conscientious, and moral people against the powerful of today who crush the innocent.” 

“WE WILL FIGHT SO THAT THE OLIVE BRANCH DOES NOT FALL”

“Our country’s surroundings have turned into a ring of fire. As Turkey, we are determined to be strong and stand strong both for our own citizens and for all the oppressed in Palestine and our region. We must, of course, keep our internal front solid. The way to do this is to remain committed to and protect democracy and justice. If a country wants to be united in bad times, it must not discriminate in good times. The state’s scales must weigh everyone equally. Justice will not grant privileges to anyone. We cannot ensure our unity by setting traps for political rivals or by applying the law of enmity to opponents. We can only ensure our unity through justice. A return to the rule of law is no longer a choice but a necessity for Turkey. No one has the right to weaken Turkey’s unity, undermine the internal front, or disrupt internal peace for their own benefit. Those who insist on this are doing an injustice to both our 86 million citizens and those who have pinned their hopes on our country, the victims, and the oppressed. Finally, I would like to emphasize that we will continue to defend the Independent State of Palestine with its capital in East Jerusalem within the 1967 borders to the end. We will continue to defend peace, right, and justice. For world peace, while reminding of these words of Yasser Arafat, I remember with mercy all those who have fallen as martyrs in the Palestinian struggle. Yasser Arafat used to say; ‘I carry an olive branch in one hand and the weapon of a freedom fighter in the other. Do not let the olive branch fall from my hand.’ We will continue to fight to the end so that the olive branch does not fall. We will continue to defend not our own interests or our party’s, but the interests of humanity. In the person of all my fellow chairmen, in the person of the officials of all participating political parties, I respectfully salute all civil society organizations and those who carry mercy and courage in their hearts for Gaza, for Palestine. I bow before you all with respect.”

DAVUTOĞLU: “WE ARE READY TO WALK TO GAZA BAREFOOT”

Future Party leader Ahmet Davutoğlu spoke as follows: “The war is not an Israel-Palestine war. This war is between Humanity and Israel. As grandchildren of the Ottomans and children of the Republic, we call out to Netanyahu: The Crusaders are gone, Hitler is gone. You, too, will go with your barbarian army. The Zionists will leave just as they came. My word to those who say ‘What business do we have in Jerusalem’: Jerusalem is Istanbul.

They are making rhetoric in their mansions and palaces. We are ready to walk to Gaza barefoot. I have governed this state; I know who is doing what. You have done nothing.”

Hür Dava Party Chairman Zekeriya Yapıcıoğlu said, “While we are bickering with each other, it is the oppressed who suffer; they are being massacred. Because we settle for sending greetings, the brutality there continues. Our minds are under occupation. Are we going to wait for our turn to come, or are we going to try to stop this threat by joining forces? If you cannot give up on recognizing the Zionist terrorist organization as a state, at least close the airspace. Don’t be afraid, nothing will happen,” he said. 

TURHAN ÇÖMEZ CALLED OUT TO THE GOVERNMENT: “DO WHAT IS NECESSARY”

İYİ Party Group Deputy Chairman Turhan Çömez said, “Are those in power and authority doing what they need to do? All they do is condemn. I ask; are you stopping exports? You said about the goods going to Israel, ‘They are going to Palestine.’ If you are exporting to Palestine, how can aid convoys not enter? They are pouring oil into the Israeli army, and when asked, they say ‘we are getting paid.’ Your condemnation is not enough, your criticism is not enough. Do what is necessary, silence Malatya Kürecik. Stop the trade ships going to Israel. Do what is necessary, and if you cannot, stop the hypocrisy. If you cannot do it, the will here will do it. The will here will protect Palestine. Tell these scoundrels, this herd of murderers, to stop. I am calling out to Erdoğan, do your duty, if you cannot, hand it over to the will here,” he said.

News Source: 12punto