'Standing up for Palestine, Lebanon means standing up for humanity, peace, and culture of coexistence among different beliefs,' says President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday urged the UN General Assembly to immediately recommend the use of force for Gaza, similar to the a 1950 measure known as the Uniting for Peace resolution.
"Today, standing up for Palestine, Lebanon means standing up for the humanity, peace, and the culture of coexistence among different beliefs," Erdogan said after a Cabinet meeting in the Turkish capital Ankara.
"A handful of radical Zionists, blinded by blood and hatred, are setting the region and the whole world on fire. We will never consent to this cruelty and barbarism," he said about Israel's continuing attacks on Gaza, the West Bank, and Lebanon.
The Uniting for Peace resolution, passed in November 1950, says that in any cases where the Security Council, due to a lack of agreement among its five permanent members, does not act as needed for the sake of international security and peace, the General Assembly can issue appropriate recommendations to UN members for collective measures, including the use of armed force when necessary.
Erdogan has frequently criticized the UN Security Council's failure to act over the last year as Israel killed tens of thousands of Palestinians and also launched massive airstrikes in Lebanon in recent weeks.
In his address last week to the UN General Assembly in New York, Erdogan said, he highlighted Israel's genocide of the people of Gaza, and drew attention to other conflicts and atrocities in the region.
He added that he reiterated that global peace and security should not be left to the whim of five privileged countries – the five permanent members of the UN Security Council – using his slogan: "The world is bigger than five."
- Israeli attacks on Lebanon
Erdogan said that during the UN General Assembly, Israel intensified its attacks on Lebanon, noting that over 1,000 Lebanese, including many children, lost their lives in the past two weeks.
In New York, he said: "I clearly stated in my meeting with Lebanese Prime Minister (Najib) Mikati that Türkiye stands firmly by their side."
He added: "As a result of Israel's attacks, which do not distinguish between civilians and military personnel, the needs of our Lebanese brothers are growing dramatically.”
Masses of Lebanese civilians have been displaced, he said, adding that Turkish civil society groups, “which are a source of pride for our nation, are on the ground despite the difficult conditions, doing everything they can (to deliver) humanitarian aid. We have also stepped up our diplomatic efforts to stop Israel's attacks."
"The international community can no longer remain silent in the face of this criminality by Israel, which is setting the entire region on fire."
He added that standing up for Palestine and Lebanon means standing up for "humanity, peace, and the culture of coexistence among different beliefs."
"Islamic countries should have the biggest reaction to oppression in the Gaza, West Bank, and Lebanon. As Muslims, we need to lead the world in curbing oppression," he added.
- 'Seeds of enmity that will last generations'
Erdogan said he regrets that the world has taken no economic, commercial, or diplomatic steps to force Israel to accept the cease-fire that Hamas has announced.
"Today, Israel sows seeds of enmity that will last for generations with its massacre policies, and those who support it are complicit in this crime."
"With its escalating state terrorism, Israel is not only undermining faith in international law but also damaging the reputation of the countries that support it," he added.
On Turkish humanitarian assistance to Lebanon, Erdogan said Türkiye delivered 30 tons of humanitarian aid to embattled Lebanon on Wednesday and will continue to do so as long as security conditions permit.
Since Sept. 23, Israel has launched massive airstrikes against what it calls Hezbollah targets across Lebanon, killing more than 960 people and injuring over 2,770 others, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry.
Several Hezbollah leaders have been killed in the assault, including the group's leader, Hassan Nasrallah.
Hezbollah and Israel have been engaged in cross-border warfare since the start of Israel's war on Gaza, which has killed nearly 41,600 people, most of them women and children, following a cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas last October.
The international community has warned that Israeli attacks in Lebanon could escalate the Gaza conflict into a wider regional war.
