Erdogan Slams Netanyahu, Says Hamas Resistance Movement, Not Terrorist Group

17 May 2018

EsinIslam And Agencies

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan sent a "reminder" to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday, saying Hamas is a resistance movement, not a terrorist group.

In a tweet, the president said Palestinians are not terrorists and Hamas is only defending the Palestinian homeland against Israel as an occupying power.
Earlier in the day, Erdoğan had called Netanyahu "the PM of an apartheid state that has occupied a defenseless people's lands for 60 more years in violation of U.N. resolutions.

"He has the blood of Palestinians on his hands and can't cover up crimes by attacking Turkey," Erdoğan said in an English-language Twitter post in response to earlier remarks made by Netanyahu.

"Want a lesson in humanity? Read the 10 commandments."

Early Tuesday, Netanyahu had tweeted: "Erdoğan is one of the biggest supporters of Hamas, so there's no doubt he's an expert on terror and slaughter."

Erdoğan called Israel a "terror state" and accused it of "genocide" on Monday after the killings of 62 Palestinians in protests along the Gaza border against the opening of U.S. embassy in Jerusalem.Trump sparked international outcry last December when he unilaterally recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital and vowed to relocate Washington's embassy to the city.

The embassy relocation coincides with the 70th anniversary of Israel's establishment in 1948 -- an event Palestinians refer to as the "Nakba" or the "The Catastrophe".

Thousands of Palestinians had gathered on Gaza Strip's eastern border early Monday morning to take part in protests aimed to commemorate the Nakba anniversary and protest relocating the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

Most of the Palestinians killed on Monday were shot by Israeli snipers, Gaza's health ministry has said, and included a 8-month-old baby who died from tear gas inhalation along with eight children under the age of 16.

Following Israel's deadly violence toward Palestinians, Turkey recalled its ambassadors in Israel and the U.S. for consultations, and declared three days of national mourning. South Africa also recalled its ambassador.

Since the border rallies began on March 30, more than 100 Palestinian demonstrators have been killed by cross-border Israeli gunfire, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

3 Turkish political parties issue joint declaration condemning Israeli violence

Three political parties at the Turkish parliament united against the killing of Palestinians by Israeli soldiers, as they issued a joint declaration against the massacre.

Ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) signed the joint declaration following a special session at the parliament Tuesday.

"Palestinians' peaceful reaction over U.S. and Israel's move ignoring UN resolutions and the international community is their fundamental right," the statement said.

The statement added the U.S. move to relocate its embassy to Jerusalem "aids and abets" killing of Palestinians in Gaza.

Meanwhile, pro-PKK Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) did not sign the declaration and said that they will sign their own declaration.

Turkish political parties condemned Israel for the recent killing of dozens of Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip.

According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, at least 60 Palestinian demonstrators have been martyred by cross-border Israeli gunfire in one of the deadliest single-day massacres in the country's history.

"Jerusalem cannot be Israel's capital," MHP Chairman Devlet Bahçeli said in a written statement. "Both human conscience and the deep heritage of our faith and its ancient rights will not allow this."

Bahşeli said the U.S.'s recent move to relocate its embassy to Jerusalem had "ignited" a big conflict in the region.

Through the recent violent events, Israel has proven that it is a "murderer" and a "terrorist state", he said.

During his party's group meeting in Ankara, Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Co-Chair Sezai Temelli also condemned and cursed "this provocation and Israeli government's massacre attempt."

Underlining the importance of Jerusalem for the three major monotheistic religions, Temelli called on the United Nations Security Council to urgently convene and use its power of sanction.

Thousands of Palestinians gathered on the Gaza Strip's eastern border Monday to take part in mass rallies to commemorate the Nakba anniversary and protest the relocation of the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

Since the border rallies began on March 30, more than 100 Palestinian demonstrators have been killed by cross-border Israeli gunfire, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

The rallies were expected to culminate on Tuesday, the 70th anniversary of Israel's establishment -- an event Palestinians refer to as the "Nakba" or "the Catastrophe".

Last week, the Israeli government said the ongoing border protests constituted a "state of war" in which international humanitarian law did not apply 

©  EsinIslam.Com

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