10-28-2023

DAILY SABAH - OCT 28, 2023

The West is the main culprit behind the massacre unfolding in Gaza: Erdogan

By Anadolu Agency

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Saturday called out Western powers as "the main culprit" behind Israel's "massacre" of Palestinians in Gaza.

The call came during the "Great Palestine Rally" held in Istanbul, which was joined by over 1.5 million people, according to the organizers.

President Erdoğan, who has been a leading international supporter of Palestinian rights, unleashed a scathing attack at Israel and its Western supporters.

"The main culprit behind the massacre unfolding in Gaza is the West," he told the Turkish and Palestinian flag-waving crowd.

"If we leave aside some conscientious voices ... the massacre in Gaza is entirely the work of the West."

President Erdoğan added that Israel was behaving like a "war criminal."

"Of course, every country has the right to defend itself. But where is the justice in this case?"

He accused Western powers of "shedding tears" over the death of civilians in Ukraine and turning a blind eye on the death of Palestinian civilians in Gaza.

"We are against all these double standards and all these hypocrisies," he added.

And he accused Israel's allies of creating a "crusade war atmosphere" pitting Christians against Muslims.

"Listen to our call for dialogue," Erdoğan said. "No one loses from a just peace."

'Israel a war criminal'

"Israel, we will also declare you as a war criminal to the world, we are preparing for it, and we will introduce Israel to the world as a war criminal,"

"What was Gaza, Palestine in 1947? What is it today? Israel, how did you get here? How did you enter? You are an occupier, you are an organisation," Erdogan said, stressing that Türkiye intends to present Tel Aviv to the world as a war criminal.

Erdoğan stressed that the Western world mobilized its politicians, and media to legitimize the massacre of the innocent people in Gaza, adding: "Israel is committing war crimes."

He also called Israel an "occupier," and added: "West owes you, but Türkiye does not owe you."

Everyone knows that Israel is a pawn in the region that will be sacrificed when the time comes, he said.

"I said in Davos, you know how to kill. They know well how to kill."

Salute to Gazans

Erdoğan also saluted the determination of the people of Gaza in the face of massive Israeli bombardments.

"On behalf of myself, my people, I salute determination of people of Gaza to not abandon their homes, city in face of oppressor's bombardments," he said.

Israel has heavily bombarded Gaza since the Oct. 7 incursion by Palestinian resistance group Hamas.

The Health Ministry in the Gaza Strip said the Israeli strikes had now killed at least 7,703 people, mainly civilians and many of them children.

Recalling the U.N. General Assembly votes in favor of a resolution calling for a "humanitarian truce" in Gaza, Erdoğan said: "Israel, you are doomed to be left alone."

The U.N. General Assembly approved a resolution Friday that called for an immediate "durable and sustained humanitarian truce" in Gaza.

The resolution, which was presented by nearly 50 countries, including Türkiye, Palestine, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), was approved in a 120-14 vote with 45 nations abstaining.

Adopted at the 10th Emergency Special Session meeting on the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, the draft resolution expresses "grave concern" about the "latest escalation of violence."

Türkiye does not condone attacks targeting civilians in Israel, said Erdoğan, adding: "We are saddened for every civilian in any way, but Israel does not care."

https://www.dailysabah.com/world/mid-east/turkish-president-erdogan-calls-out-west-israel-for-gaza-massacre

Excerpts from President Erdogan’s speech

Daily Sabah – October 28, 2023

UN General Assembly approves resolution calling for urgent 'humanitarian truce' in Gaza

The UN General Assembly on Friday approved a resolution calling for an immediate "durable and sustained humanitarian truce" in Gaza.

The draft resolution, which was presented by nearly 50 countries, including Türkiye, Palestine, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), was approved by a vote of 120-14, with 45 nations abstaining.

Adopted at the 10th Emergency Special Session meeting on the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, the draft resolution expresses "grave concern" over the "latest escalation of violence" since Hamas' Oct. 7 attack on Israel.

The resolution condemned "all acts of violence against Palestinian and Israeli civilians, including all acts of terror and indiscriminate attacks, as well as all acts of provocation, incitement and destruction."

It also demanded that "all parties immediately and fully comply with their obligations under international law."

Emphasizing the need to protect civilians "in accordance with international humanitarian law and international human rights law," it called for the "immediate and unconditional release of all civilians who are being illegally held captive."

The resolution emphasized the importance of "preventing further destabilization and escalation of violence in the region."

Its passage followed the assembly's rejection of a Canadian amendment, backed by the US, which denounced the Oct. 7 "terrorist attacks" by Hamas.

It also came after four different draft resolutions were vetoed at the UN Security Council in 10 days.

https://www.dailysabah.com/world/mid-east/unga-approves-resolution-calling-for-urgent-humanitarian-truce-in-gaza

Yeni Safak – October 28, 2023

Palestine hails UN General Assembly resolution for humanitarian truce in Gaza

The Palestinian Authority (PA) on Saturday welcomed a UN General Assembly resolution demanding a humanitarian truce in the Gaza Strip and the protection of civilians.

The resolution "confirms that the majority of the world stands with the Palestinian people, and that the Palestinian issue still enjoys a high status among the countries of the world," PA spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh said in a statement.

He said the support of 120 countries for the resolution “highlights the world rejection of the aggression against our people, their displacement from their land, and the creation of a new catastrophe.”

The UN General Assembly approved a resolution Friday that called for an immediate "durable and sustained humanitarian truce" in Gaza.

The resolution, which was presented by nearly 50 countries, including Türkiye, Palestine, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), was approved in a 120-14 vote with 45 nations abstaining.

Adopted at the 10th Emergency Special Session meeting on the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, the draft resolution expresses "grave concern" about the "latest escalation of violence" since Hamas' Oct. 7 attack on Israel.

The resolution condemned "all acts of violence against Palestinian and Israeli civilians, including all acts of terror and indiscriminate attacks, as well as all acts of provocation, incitement and destruction."

It also demanded that "all parties immediately and fully comply with their obligations under international law."

The resolution emphasized the importance of "preventing further destabilization and escalation of violence in the region."

Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen described it as despicable and rejected calls for a cease-fire.

https://www.yenisafak.com/en/news/palestine-hails-un-general-assembly-resolution-for-humanitarian-truce-in-gaza-3672582

Al Jazeera – October 28, 2023

Here is a breakdown of how each country voted in the UNGA in New York City on Friday:

For (120):

A: Afghanistan, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan

B: Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei

C: Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Costa Rica, Cote d’Ivoire, Cuba

D: Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea), Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic

E: Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea

F: France

G: Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana

H: Honduras

I: Indonesia, Iran, Ireland

J: Jordan

K: Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan

L: Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Libya, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg

M: Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar

N: Namibia, Nepal, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway

O: Oman

P: Pakistan, Peru, Portugal

Q: Qatar

R: Russia

S: Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Switzerland, Syria

T: Tajikistan, Thailand, East Timor, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey

U: Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United Republic of Tanzania, Uzbekistan

V: Vietnam

Y: Yemen

Z: Zimbabwe

Against (14):

A: Austria

C: Croatia, Czechia

F: Fiji

G: Guatemala

H: Hungary

I: Israel