President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Friday called on Muslims to stand together against Israel’s provocations and violations across the region, saying greater unity was essential to defend their rights and build lasting peace and security.
“As Muslims, we must be strong, defend our rights and interests together, and work together to build peace and security in our region,” Erdoğan said during a Mawlid al-Nabi Week event at Istanbul’s Haliç Congress Center.
Erdoğan strongly criticized the Israeli government led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for seeking to spread instability across the Middle East through its genocidal actions in Gaza, the occupied West Bank and Lebanon.
“Israel’s current government, addicted to war, is trying every possible way to drag our entire region into instability,” he said.
He said Israel’s policies threatened not only its neighbors but also those advocating regional peace and humanitarian values.
Erdoğan stressed that Türkiye’s opposition to Israel’s expansionist policies was not driven solely by its own national interests but by concern for people throughout the region, regardless of their religion or ethnic background.
He pointed to the humanitarian situation in Gaza, where Palestinians continue to struggle with shortages of basic necessities, while also highlighting the displacement and casualties caused by Israeli attacks in Lebanon.
The Turkish president warned that a fragmented response would leave the region more vulnerable and argued that Muslim countries must strengthen solidarity and cooperation in confronting common challenges.
Drawing parallels with atrocities committed under Adolf Hitler and Cambodia’s Khmer Rouge leader Pol Pot, Erdoğan said history had demonstrated the consequences of failing to act against grave violations.
“Unfortunately, civilians had to pay the price for the silence toward Hitler, Pol Pot and other ruthless tyrants in recent history,” he said.
Erdoğan also criticized international institutions and the wider global community for failing to demonstrate sufficient resolve to halt Israel’s crimes, saying the lack of an effective response was allowing violations to continue in Gaza, the occupied West Bank and Lebanon.
He reiterated that Muslim countries needed to overcome their differences, strengthen cooperation and act collectively to protect their rights and contribute to regional stability.
