Israel must abandon its intention to spread conflicts to region: Erdogan

Israel must abandon “its intention to spread conflicts to the region,” and the United States, Western countries must “stop supporting Israel in this regard,” Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said.

"Israel cannot continue this brutality and savagery any longer. Tel Aviv must stop insisting on carrying out these massacres and end these inhumane attacks,” Erdogan said, speaking to press on the plane returning from his visit to Germany on Sunday.

Erdogan reiterated that the international community, particularly Western countries, must increase their pressure on Israel.

“Until now, it is Israel that has insisted on attacks and continued the massacres. It is Israel that tramples on human rights and international law. Now they are threatening Lebanon to spread the conflicts.”

Ankara has been on the side of peace from the very beginning, the Turkish president stated.

“Türkiye is the country that has voiced the necessity of ending these conflicts and achieving a two-state solution based on the 1967 borders to ensure lasting peace," Erdogan added, emphasising the urgent need of achieving a permanent ceasefire.

Bilateral ties

Regarding relations with Syria, Erdogan noted, "Currently, more than 3 million refugees from Syria are in our country. We have reached a point where if Bashar al Assad takes a step towards improving relations with Türkiye, we will respond positively."

He added, "We will extend our invitation. Hopefully, with this invitation, we aim to bring Türkiye-Syria relations back to the same point as in the past."

Regarding a possible meeting in Türkiye, Erdogan said there are positive approaches from the Russian president and the Iraqi prime minister.

“We talk about mediation everywhere, so why not with our neighbour right at our border?," the Turkish president asked, voicing his intention to improve relations.

Commenting on the recent presidential election in Iran, where the Turkic-origin Masoud Pezeshkian was elected president, Erdogan remarked that Iran “is an important neighbour” with whom Türkiye has historical and cultural ties.

“I expect that Turkish-Iranian bilateral relations will develop positively at an increasing pace in the new period."

Commenting on the UK election results, Erdogan said Türkiye and the United Kingdom have a deeply rooted bilateral relationship and Ankara has worked with both Labour and Conservative prime ministers, adding that "What matters is to work towards the common interests of both countries."

"In this new period, we will continue to enhance our relations with the UK, in all areas. We have significant agenda items ahead of us, and we intend to address them to further the positive trajectory of our relationship," the Turkish president said.

Double standards of UEFA

On Turkish footballer Merih Demiral's UEFA ban, his "Grey Wolf" gesture while celebrating a goal at EURO 2024 in the match with Austria on Tuesday, Erdogan said the West's approach to Turks in terms of mentality has never changed and continues in the same manner.

"The punishment given to Merih Demiral was a decision seemingly made from the very beginning. If the issue is about penalising the Grey Wolf sign, then what about the Germans who have the eagle? Do you punish the eagle? No. The French have the rooster; do you punish the rooster? No. However, the penalty given to Merih for making the Grey Wolf sign, which is part of our legends, amid the excitement of that goal and successive goals, is not a punishment directed at Merih personally."

"It is, in fact, a punishment aimed at the Turkish nation as a whole," Erdogan added, emphasising the double standards of UEFA.