World politics at sharp turn amid 'power vacuum,' says Turkish president

Türkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday called attention to mounting problems and pressure in the international system, especially amid Israel's ongoing attacks on Gaza.

"World politics is navigating one of its sharpest turns. There is a serious power vacuum in the international system, and we are facing a loss of morality and conscience," Erdogan said in a speech in the Turkish capital Ankara.

"With the Gaza crisis, the global system has become bankrupt," said Erdogan.

"Words are no longer enough to describe the genocide that the Palestinian people are subjected to in Gaza," he added.

Erdogan said unbearable images of the "genocide" have been emerging daily from Gaza, which has been under Israeli attack for nearly 10 months, claiming the lives of almost 40,000 "innocent" people, including more than 16,000 children.

"Israel does not only kill Gazans with bombs and bullets. It also kills them by leaving them hungry, thirsty and without food," he added.

"A rogue state, which has become increasingly cruel, spoiled and depraved, has displayed all manners of barbarism for 300 days against 2.3 million people, squeezed into a palm-sized piece of land," Erdogan said.

He added that in the face of oppression in Gaza, "which should normally awaken humanity, the UN Security Council remains silent."

Likening Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Adolf Hitler, Erdogan said those who "applaud" his lies will "never be able to wash off dark stains on their hands for the rest of their lives."

The perpetrators of genocide "should not be at podiums of legislative chambers," but in courtrooms where they will account for their crimes, he added.

Erdogan said the assassination last week of Ismail Haniyeh, political bureau chief of Palestinian group Hamas, could not be viewed independent of the standing applause that Netanyahu received in a recent visit to the US Congress.

"Those horrific images not only deeply hurt the Palestinian people but, even worse, have spoiled Netanyahu," he said.

While the entire world was waiting for Israel to be convinced to accept a cease-fire, the result was the assassination of the negotiator in a "treacherous attack," he added.

"No reasonable and sensible person can consider such a situation normal."

"Anyone who knew Ismail Haniyeh or had worked with him even a little would know very well what a courageous advocate he was."

Last week, both Iran and Hamas accused Israel of assassinating Ismail Haniyeh, the head of Hamas' political bureau, in Iran's capital Tehran, an accusation that Israel has neither confirmed nor denied. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hinted at Israel's involvement.

Israel, flouting a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire, has faced international condemnation amid its continued brutal offensive on Gaza since an attack last October by the Palestinian resistance group Hamas.

Over 39,600 Palestinians have since been killed, mostly women and children, and nearly 91,400 injured, according to local health authorities.

Almost 10 months into the Israeli war, vast tracts of Gaza lie in ruins amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water and medicine.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice, which ordered it to immediately halt its military operation in the southern city of Rafah, where more than 1 million Palestinians had sought refuge from the war before it was invaded on May 6.

- Digital fascism

Pointing to a "digital fascism that cannot even tolerate photos of Palestinian martyrs and bans them instantly, yet markets this as freedom," Erdogan said: "Social media platforms show great care in adhering to the rules in the US and Europe, but deliberately withhold the same diligence when it comes to Türkiye."

"The more alarming aspect of the issue is that these institutions and companies are even more indifferent about the Palestine issue than they are about other matters," he said.

"Social media companies have especially gone overboard and almost become militant. They see it as their duty to immediately censor even a simple sentence criticizing Israel."

"The martyrdom of Ismail Haniyeh has clearly shown us that the limits of freedom of thought and expression in Western countries are defined by Israeli whims," Erdogan said.

"At this point, we are witnessing firsthand how social media companies behave like mafias in matters that affect their interests," Erdogan said.

He said Türkiye has been subject to similar double standards many times before.

Despite warnings from Turkish authorities, these platforms are rife with members of terrorist organizations, from the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) to the PKK terrorist group.

Türkiye has expressed its concerns on this issue many times before, said Erdogan, adding they have also tried to establish a channel of dialogue through relevant institutions.

"However, we have not yet fully achieved the desired level of cooperation," the president said.