Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, speaking before the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, affirmed his country's full support for the Iraqi government's efforts to strengthen state authority and consolidate stability across the nation. Erdoğan added that Turkey is collaborating with
Iraq on strategic transportation and energy projects, notably the Development Road project, emphasizing that these initiatives will contribute to the prosperity of the region. In another context, the Turkish President expressed regret over the absence of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas from
the General Assembly meetings, urging countries that have not yet recognized the Palestinian state to reconsider their positions. Erdoğan sharply criticized the situation in the Gaza Strip, noting that the region has witnessed the loss of over 74,000 lives in
three years due to what he described as "Israeli state terrorism." He depicted Gaza as a "death camp" and "the world's largest graveyard for children," highlighting that the West Bank suffers from settler violence and terrorism, with Muslims being denied
access to their holy sites. He stressed that "no one with a conscience can turn a blind eye" to what is happening in the Strip, explaining that the number of "martyrs" in Gaza has exceeded 1,500 since the ceasefire, and
the Strip has become "the most dehumanized and shameful concentration camp of our era." He pointed out that the Palestinian resistance agreed to the second phase of the peace plan, but Israel refuses to end the occupation. Regarding the role of
the United Nations, the Turkish President expressed his belief that the organization, established to preserve peace and security, is no longer capable of fulfilling its role or is being prevented from doing so. He called for a reform of the
Security Council, asserting that an international system based on only five countries cannot be just. He urged all nations to increase pressure on Israel to end the war in Gaza. President Erdoğan also addressed the defensive alliance his country formed with
Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, clarifying that it enhances solidarity among the three nations and supports finding solutions to regional problems from within. He added that the three countries continue to work with relevant parties to end the atmosphere of conflict
and war in the Gulf, warning against attempts to expand the scope of conflicts and clashes to neighboring areas, and asserting that this "serves no one's interests." Concerning maritime navigation, Erdoğan emphasized the necessity of preserving freedom of navigation in the
Strait of Hormuz. He also stressed that recent attacks on commercial vessels in the Black Sea are "unacceptable regardless of who perpetrates them," and that Turkey continues its contacts aimed at restoring safe navigation in the Black Sea and ensuring
food security.
