CHP leader Özgür Özel's call to Erdoğan on Palestine: 'If you have the courage...'

Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Özgür Özel attended the '104th Anniversary Program of Atatürk's Arrival in Hacıbektaş' held at the Hacıbektaş Cultural Center. 

"THE PALESTINIAN CAUSE IS OUR CAUSE"

In his speech there, drawing attention to the Israel-Hamas war in which more than 20 thousand civilians have been killed, Özel said, "Just as the Prime Minister of the Republic of Turkey and the third Chairman of our party, Karaoğlan Bülent Ecevit, approached it, and just as Deniz Gezmiş and his friends approached it, the Palestinian cause is our cause."

"IF YOU HAVE THE COURAGE, YOU WILL JOIN US"

Also drawing attention to the commercial cooperation between Turkey and Israel, Özel addressed AKP President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, stating, "It is not sincere to come out and say nice words for Palestine on one hand, shed crocodile tears, and then continue to trade with ships belonging to people close to you, your circle, and your family. I am calling out to Recep Tayyip Erdoğan once again from here: if you are sincere, I am going to Palestine in the coming days. If you have the courage, you will join us," he said.

"YOU WILL IMPOSE AN EMBARGO ON ISRAEL"

Özel said the following:

"If 18 thousand chicks died today in any country in the world, it would be the top news story all over the world. People would look at why 18 thousand chicks died and what is happening there. Those who remained silent about the atrocities in Bosnia and Herzegovina are today remaining silent about the massacre in Palestine when Israel is one side of the massacre. Just as the Prime Minister of the Republic of Turkey and the third Chairman of our party, Karaoğlan Bülent Ecevit, approached it with the relationship he established with Arafat and the Palestinian state, and just as Deniz Gezmiş and his friends approached it, the Palestinian cause is our cause. Today, you cannot support Palestine with words alone. You cannot support Palestine just by speaking and condemning. It happens with action; for this, if you are going to do it, you will impose an embargo on Israel."

"YOU WILL SHOW YOUR STRENGTH TO THE OPPRESSOR, NOT THE OPPRESSED"

"It is not sincere to come out and say nice words for Palestine on one hand, shed crocodile tears, and then continue to trade with ships belonging to people close to you, your circle, and your family. I am calling out to Recep Tayyip Erdoğan once again from here: if you are sincere, I am going to Palestine in the coming days. I am going to support the Palestinian cause, to stand in solidarity with the Palestinian state, and to draw the world's attention here. If you have the courage, you will be with us in Palestine, along with the leaders of all political parties in this country. The history of the Republican People's Party has witnessed defending an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital within the 1967 borders, standing by Palestine, and establishing the best relations with the State of Israel if it respects this. It will be the same from now on. However, while there is such great oppression on one side, while there are the oppressed on one side, and while there are victims on one side, it is not right to be on the side of the strong and not speak out against the strong. As Hünkar Hacı Bektaş Veli said, if you are going to show your strength, you will show it to the oppressor, not to the victim or the oppressed."

News Source: 12punto