Ahmet Hakan criticizes AKP: 'It would have been much more appropriate'

Hürriyet Editor-in-Chief Ahmet Hakan criticized the Great Palestine Rally to be organized by the AKP Istanbul Provincial Presidency in his column today.

Hakan stated the following in the relevant section of his article:

"There is no connection: No connection can be made, nor should it be made, between a rally organized to protest Israel's cruelty, to oppose the killing of babies, to say stop to the brutality, and to show solidarity with the victims, and the Republic Day celebrations. These are completely separate things.

The date of the rally: However, the date of the rally could have been different. The rally will be held one day before the day we will celebrate the centenary of our Republic. I wish the timing had not been set this way. I wish this rally had been held, for example, on October 31 or November 1. It would have been much more appropriate.

The main call: The framework of the rally is also very important. Erdoğan said yesterday: 'All parties should take their fingers off the trigger and declare an immediate ceasefire. Both Israel's attacks and the missile fire directed at Israel must stop.' This should be the main call, the clear demand, and the sole concern of the Istanbul rally."