President Erdoğan: "Netanyahu will not be able to avoid the punishment for what he has done."
President Erdoğan addressed questions from journalists and made statements during his return flight from a visit to Qatar.
Stating that the ninth meeting of the Türkiye-Qatar High Strategic Committee, held in Doha, where he visited upon the invitation of the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani of Qatar, whom he calls "my dear brother," was successfully completed, President Erdoğan stated that he attended the 44th Summit of the Gulf Cooperation Council as a guest of honour of Qatar, which is the term president.
Stating that they reviewed bilateral relations between Türkiye and Qatar in all dimensions within the framework of the talks, President Erdoğan said, "Our trade volume with Qatar has exceeded 2 billion dollars, with an increase of more than 14 per cent. We agreed to further increase our trade and investments with Qatar."
Recalling that 12 new agreements were signed in various fields, thus the number of documents signed as part of the High Strategic Committee mechanism in the last 9 years has exceeded 100, President Erdoğan stated that they also discussed the developments in the region during the meetings.
Stating that the main point of the talks was the situation of the Palestinians who have been subjected to Israeli oppression for two months, President Erdoğan said, "We discussed in detail the steps we will take to establish an immediate and permanent ceasefire, to ensure the uninterrupted flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza, and to ensure peace on the axis of a two-state solution. We agree with my brother Sheikh Tamim on continuing our close cooperation and joint relations in this regard."
Emphasising that they reiterated the will to move forward the relations with both the six member countries and the council at the Gulf Cooperation Council Summit, President Erdoğan said, "Our trade with the council member countries has increased by more than 20 billion dollars in the last 20 years, reaching a total of 23 billion dollars. I hope the upward trend in our trade will continue. We will strengthen our dialogue with the Gulf countries to heal the wounds of our Palestinian brothers and sisters and to establish an independent Palestinian State based on the 1967 borders."
"If it were not for their support, we would not be facing such a situation"
When asked when the human tragedy in Gaza would come to an end and the US's plan for resolving the Israel-Palestine issue, President Erdoğan said, "If it were not for the support of all Western countries, particularly the USA, for Israel, we would not face such a situation in our region right now. The unlimited in-kind and in-cash support of these countries, such as monetary aid, weapons, ammunition and equipment, has brought Israel, the spoiled child of the West, to this point."
President Erdoğan emphasised that what had been experienced was much more inciting for the negative views of countries with different relations with Israel and said:
"The global system, which acts based on the identity of the perpetrator, has malfunctioned. With such a malfunctioning system, what can you fix and how can you fix anything? Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, in particular, is now facing a downfall. It is possible that he strikes his flag at any time now. Furthermore, the West turns a blind eye not only to Netanyahu's atrocities but also to those of his staff. Fortunately, since October 7, the West's view of Israel has changed significantly. I believe that it will not last long, and in a short time, Israel's cruel behaviour, particularly towards Gaza, will bring it face to face with failure."
President Erdoğan pointed out that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was the subject of a judicial process in Israel before the onset of Israel's attacks on Gaza and said, "The Israeli judiciary, in cooperation with the occupation forces, is currently refraining from making an unfavourable decision about him. I believe they are on the verge of making this decision one way or another. Furthermore, we have submitted an application to the International Criminal Court, supported by approximately 3,000 lawyers from various parts of the world, seeking to prosecute Netanyahu and his accomplices on international grounds. We have brought the war crimes in Gaza to the agenda of the court and we will follow up on it.
President Erdoğan stated that there were other countries that have applied to the International Criminal Court against Israel and said:
"In addition to these countries' steadfast stance, the number of people who stand in solidarity with the Palestinians is increasing day by day. The voices raised on the streets of London, in New York, in front of the White House, in Paris, in Belgium, in the Netherlands and in many other places around the world will not rest until the oppression in Palestine ends and the criminals are held accountable. We are devastated by the indescribable cruelty in Gaza, just as every other person with a conscience is. The Israeli administration, which has no regard for humanity, will kill 16–17 thousand Palestinians in Gaza, deny them food, water, and medicine, and prevent the injured from being transported to hospitals, and conscientious people will do nothing to stop it. Is that what will happen? Such an attitude would be unethical and unfair, and we would never tolerate it."
"We have created our new road maps"
Upon being asked what was addressed during the meetings in Qatar regarding the road map for a lasting peace and ceasefire while being reminded of Türkiye's concrete proposals for a lasting peace in the Middle East, ranging from being a guarantor for a lasting peace to hosting a Peace Conference, Erdoğan emphasised that Qatar's perspective on this whole process overlaps with Türkiye's.
Remarking that he, Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakan Fidan and the relevant institutions will be in contact in the following period, President Erdoğan said, "We will carry out this process, through which we hope to achieve peace together, and we will also take the necessary steps together. Because we are not at a stage in this period where we can say, 'Let's leave it alone and let it happen.' Gaza has been severely ravaged by Israel's ruthless attacks."
Describing the establishment of a ceasefire and the evacuation of the wounded from Gaza as priority issues, President Erdoğan said:
"There are cancer patients among the civilian population in Gaza. We brought some of them to our country for treatment. The rebuilding and reconstruction of Gaza is another issue. We will do whatever is necessary in this regard, hopefully together, and whatever is within our power. We will start rebuilding and reconstructing. Qatar is determined to move in the same direction as Türkiye on this issue. We are prepared to act as guarantors and to host a conference. As long as they really want peace. We constantly say 'peace, law and justice.' We do not say these things just for the sake of saying them; rather, we do so with the understanding that these concepts must endure in order to avert a major catastrophe. To those who have eyes but cannot see the oppression, those who have ears but cannot hear the truth, and those who have tongues but cannot speak the truth, we say, 'See, hear and speak the truth.' We are actually offering a prescription for the restoration of human dignity. We will not give up, we will not tire of telling the truth and the reality. We don't have the luxury of saying, 'We tried and failed.' We will continue to strive for peace. We have created our new road maps. We will express both the persecution in Gaza, the drama that Palestine has been experiencing for years, and our solutions for lasting peace."
"Buffer zone" claim regarding Gaza
Upon being asked about the claims that Israel will create a buffer zone in Gaza with a length of 40 kilometres and a width of 12 kilometres, President Erdoğan said, "I consider even discussing this plan an act of disrespect to all my Palestinian brothers and sisters. This is not a plan for us to discuss, think and talk about."
President Erdoğan stated that Israel's plan to occupy the Palestinian lands, which began in 1947, has brought Palestine and Gaza to this point over the years, and stated:
"Now, Israel has set its sights on fully occupying the limited number of Palestinian territories that remain. It is not possible to approach or look at this in a positive light. Because these lands belong to the Palestinians. The Palestinian people decide what happens in Gaza and who governs it. We do not recognise any decision maker above their decision. The best thing Israel can do is accept the establishment of an independent and geographically coherent Palestinian State within the 1967 borders, as well as the return of occupied Palestinian territories to their rightful owners. Israel must remove the people it portrays as "settlers" to the rest of the world from those houses and lands, and consider how to build a future in peace with the Palestinians. I believe that the Palestinians will be the winners of this process. Every now and then, they loosely talk about Hamas. Hamas is first and foremost a resistance organisation. Hamas is a political movement that achieved success in the Palestinian elections."
Recalling that he had been asked this question 21 years ago in a meeting with a group in the US, President Erdoğan remarked, "I also mentioned it there that Hamas was a political movement that had its territories seized in 1947. This political movement is a party that won the elections in Palestine, after all. Today, Hamas is trying to defend its territory again. For years, Israel has treated Gaza as an open-air prison, imposing restrictions on water, food, clothing, and electricity and attempting to discipline it in its own way. In all this time, Palestinians in Gaza have not given up; Israel has not achieved its goal, and I believe it will not achieve it now."
"They will pay a heavy price"
When asked about the purpose of bringing such a plan to the agenda by recalling the article in the US Wall Street Journal that "Israel plans to assassinate Hamas members living outside Palestine, including Türkiye", President Erdoğan said, "Those who made this news obviously do not know Türkiye, the Turks, and us. If they dare to make such a mistake, they should know that they will pay a very, very heavy price for it."
Noting that those who besieged Gaza by air, sea and land anticipated a result within a week, President Erdoğan said, "What happened? Did they succeed?" and continued as follows:
"They didn't. If they dare to take such a step against Türkiye and Turkish people, they will be doomed to pay a price which they cannot recover from. Those who attempt such a thing should not forget that the consequences can be extremely serious. No one is unaware of Türkiye's progress in both intelligence and security fields worldwide. Additionally, we are not a newly established state. No one should forget that."
"Netanyahu will not be able to avoid the punishment for what he has done"
Reminding of his statement that Prime Minister Netanyahu of Israel should be put on trial, just as Milosevic, who was responsible for the Bosnian genocide, and when asked, "Could the trial of Netanyahu prevent further Israeli occupation and genocidal acts?" President Erdoğan said, "First of all, Netanyahu will undoubtedly face trial one way or another, if not today, then tomorrow. Indeed, they are already engaged in internal conflict regarding it. Just as the people in the streets of different places around the world are standing up, the people in the streets of Israel are standing up right now, and they are divided."
Noting that there is also a group of Israelis who want Netanyahu to be held accountable, President Erdoğan said, "Netanyahu will not be able to avoid the punishment for what he has done. Sooner or later, he will be tried and will pay the price for the war crimes he committed. If international law is properly enforced and these war crimes are punished, this decision will serve as a lesson for all oppressors, both in the Palestinian territories and other parts of the world. However, if we let it go and don't follow up on the application there, it opens the door to new genocides. For this reason, we will maintain strict watch and do everything in our capacity to ensure that the perpetrators of the Gaza genocide are prosecuted."
Emphasising that the current coalition governing Israel is not in good condition and is on the verge of collapse, President Erdoğan added:
"Do not consider them to be highly sound; they are losing ground. We said fifty to sixty days ago that Netanyahu was going to leave. The signs of their leaving have already begun to appear. Those who say to Israel, 'We are tired of feeding you' have begun to appear. Look at France, which made statements of support at the beginning. Is it the same France now? President Macron of France is currently making very different statements. Likewise, many other countries in the West are no longer making the statements they made at the beginning. The whole point is the outcome of patience here. You know, we have a very important principle: Men sabera zafera. Patience brings victory. Right now, Hamas and Palestine are employing this patience mechanism. I believe they will triumph, inshallah. The cost will be high, but they will achieve victory."
When referred to the diplomatic traffic regarding the situation in Gaza and asked, "During your contacts, have you observed any change of attitude among the countries that abstained from voting on the draft resolution for a ceasefire in Gaza at the UN?" President Erdoğan stated that he believed there would be a change of attitude among the countries that abstained from voting.
President Erdoğan noted that a group of seven was formed following the Extraordinary Joint Summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and the Arab League to brief the countries on Israel's atrocities and the solutions thereto, and that Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakan Fidan was also a member of this group.
President Erdoğan went on to say:
"They are visiting various countries. They have begun working at a frenetic pace after the Riyadh Summit decision. This is the first time in the history of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation that such an action group has been formed. What makes this group valuable is that it stands as the unified voice for Palestine. Russia and China were the first countries to be visited. Following that, talks were held in France and the UK. The Mediterranean countries were visited. At each meeting, we communicated our discourse and policies on Palestine to the other side. We noticed a significant shift in discourse as these policies were explained. The Islamic world began to speak in unison about the solution. 'How will there be a two-state solution and how will aid be organised,' rather than 'what will happen to Gaza,' is now being discussed."
President Erdoğan stated that there were countries that supported Israel at the start of the process but distanced themselves as they saw the realities and he went on to say:
"We can see that the countries that abstained at the UN were actually opposed to Israel's illegal attacks, but they did not speak out for a variety of reasons. Some of them have only recently begun to speak out in response to public pressure, which is encouraging. Then there are those who spoke out bravely, such as Spain. If this principled stance spreads throughout Europe, I believe Israel will be unable to continue its massacre. Israel is well aware that it is losing Europe. The conscience of societies will accelerate this process and in the end, Palestine and humanitarian values will win."
"Now we intend to focus on these abstentions"
President Erdoğan responded to the question, "The United Nations General Assembly failed the Gaza test. Can the organisation of the United Nations be reviewed or can an alternative organisation to the United Nations be established?" as follows:
"From the beginning, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, has been in close contact with all parties. He has never expressed a pro-Israeli viewpoint in our meetings with him or in his interactions with the region. In a particularly sincere mood, Secretary-General Guterres spoke out against this atrocity. Our friends occasionally met with him. It is a beacon of hope for us that in all of our meetings, Guterres has expressed both his appreciation for our stance against Israel's oppression and his opinion that this stance should continue. Already of great significance were the 121 nations that stood by Palestine and against the oppression at the United Nations General Assembly. Additionally, approximately forty nations have abstained from voting. Now we intend to focus on these abstentions. There are a mere 14 countries taking sides with the West, specifically the US. This is the most obvious and exquisite expression of the extent to which Palestine's righteousness has been recognised. Given the circumstances, it is critical that we maintain our diplomatic efforts. Can we convince these 40 nations to support Palestine against Israeli oppression? That is what we need to strive for."
Expressing a greater sense of optimism regarding the position adopted by the United Nations General Assembly rather than the United Nations Security Council, President Erdoğan said:
"On the other side, our negotiations with Russia are ongoing, and thus far we have had no problems. I don't think we will ever have one from now on. The United Nations has become institutionally incapable of operating its system and is merely watching what is going on with its hands tied. Regrettably, we are once again confronted with the bitter consequences of this crisis, which inspired our motto, 'The World is Bigger than Five'. Maintaining international peace is the primary task of the United Nations. Yet it is incapable of accomplishing this task due to the distorted structure of the Security Council. May Allah forbid, the United Nations could end up like the League of Nations in a larger conflict. Therefore, we must proceed with the understanding that it is better to lose the saddle than the horse and discuss overhauling the United Nations system. We have to do it before it is too late. Otherwise, the United Nations system will not be able to extinguish a major fire, and the world will descend into a new process of loss."
"It is not that we lack alternative options"
In response to the question, "There are perceptions that the purchase of F-16 and Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets is contingent upon Türkiye's approval of Sweden's NATO membership. Are the interlocutor countries trying to draw Türkiye to a particular table by imposing certain additional conditions?" President Erdoğan stated,
"On the F-16 issue, we told our interlocutors, 'The United States has a congress, and we have our own congress, which is our Parliament. There is nothing to say until our Parliament renders the final decision. In my capacity as President, I referred the matter to the Parliament, and you thanked me. I have done my part, but I am expecting something from you in return. I say, 'You, too, submit the matter to your congress, and let us take these steps concurrently.' And another issue is the Eurofighter Typhoon... As a matter of fact, regarding the Eurofighter, the view of the United Kingdom is actually positive. Unfortunately, Germany's position presents a problem. However, the UK took a positive stance to smooth over the rough spots. They say they will discuss the matter with the Germans. At this point, it is not that we lack alternative options."