02 Feb 2020; MEMO: On Friday Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, slammed Arab and Muslim leaders for accepting or remaining silent on the issue of the US “deal of the century”, Turkish media reported.
Erdoğan reiterated his country’s strong opposition to the deal announced at the White House by US President Donald Trump on Tuesday, where ambassadors of three Arab countries were in attendance.
“We will never recognise or accept the deal as it aims to annex occupied Palestinian lands,” he confirmed at a meeting of provincial heads of the Justice and Development Party in Ankara.
As reported by Turkish newspaper, Daily Sabah, Erdoğan also announced that leaving the fate of Jerusalem and the Palestinians entirely in the “bloody claws” of Israel will be “the greatest evil in all humanity”.
Turkey does not have any problems with the Jewish people, Erdoğan stressed, but is against the oppressive policies of Israel which aim to usurp the rights of Palestinians.
Erdoğan highlighted the importance of Jerusalem and the sacred monuments in the city for Muslims and Christians, urging all to raise their voices against Trump’s deal.
“If we cannot protect Al-Aqsa Mosque, we will not be able to prevent those who turn to the Kaaba as a target in the future,” he disclosed, stressing that “Jerusalem is our red line for this reason.”
The Turkish president noted that the issue of Palestine and Jerusalem is a matter for all Muslims. He criticised them and their silence, asking: “When will you raise your voice?”
Erdoğan maintained that a “rogue state”, such as Israel, is completely unacceptable to Turkey.
According to Reuters, Erdoğan affirmed: “When we look at the stance of countries in the Muslim world toward this step and the announced text, I pity us.”
“Saudi Arabia mostly, you are silent. When will you speak? The same goes for Oman, Bahrain, the Abu Dhabi leadership.”
He added: “They even go and applaud it there. Shame on you… Some Arab countries supporting such a plan are betraying Jerusalem, their own peoples and most of all humanity.”
