Israel is using every means to paint the region in blood — Erdogan

Türkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has accused Israel of deliberate provocations and efforts to undermine peace in the region, citing Israel's ongoing military actions in Gaza, the occupied West Bank, and Lebanon.

Speaking on Türkiye's premier technology event Teknofest, Erdogan stated, “Every time we get closer to a ceasefire and peace in the region, Israel escalates provocations, using every means to plunge our geography into grief.”

Erdogan warned that Israel's plan extends beyond Gaza and Lebanon, stating, “A sinister plan is in motion, not limited to Gaza, the West Bank, or Lebanon. It is not difficult to see what Israel's ultimate goal is.”

Addressing Israel's military strikes, the president condemned the killings, particularly of infants, calling it a "state of madness." He also criticised the West for its continued support of Israel, saying, “It's tragic that the West continues to back this network of massacres.”

Erdogan emphasised that those supplying weapons are just as responsible as those using them, remarking, “Every drop of blood spilled is as much on the hands of those supplying the bombs as those dropping them.”

He also issued a firm statement against attempts to partition the region, vowing, “We will not allow our region to be torn apart again by a new Sykes-Picot-like division.”

Erdogan said that Israel first used Hamas as an excuse to occupy Gaza; now using Hezbollah as an excuse to occupy Lebanon.

Teknofest: "Youth epic"

Erdogan praised the impact of Teknofest, describing it as a "youth epic" and "technological revolution."

He lauded the festival for being the powerful voice of idealistic youth growing in Anatolia, adding, "Teknofest shows that foreign dependency is not our destiny."

He highlighted that Türkiye has increased the share of indigenous production in its defence industry to 80 percent.

Türkiye is now among the top three countries globally in the field of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), he said.

Erdogan also acknowledged the country's success in research and development, as well as in design centers, noting that Teknofest plays a key role in enhancing Türkiye's technology ecosystem.

In a shift to digital security concerns, Erdogan highlighted Türkiye’s efforts to fortify its resilience to cyberattacks and digital terrorism.

“We are constantly enhancing our resistance against state-sponsored cyberattacks and digital terror operations,” he said.