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Denouncing the United States recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, President and Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan criticized the US and Israel, and said “Israel is an occupying state. Israel is a terror state” yesterday (December 10) in a speech he delivered in Sivas province.
Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu, who is in France for official talks, responded to the statement.
In the joint press conference held with President of France Emmanuel Macron in Paris, Israel’s PM said “Mr. Erdoğan attacked Israel” and continued:
“I am not used to receiving lectures about morality from a leader who bombs Kurdish villagers in his native Turkey, who jails journalists, who helps Iran get around international sanctions, and who helps terrorists, including in Gaza, kill innocent people,"
Statement by the Presidency: We condemn it
In the wake of Netanyahu’s statement, Presidential Spokesperson İbrahim Kalın in a written statement said “We condemn the statement of Prime Minister of Israel Netanyahu”.
“Israel, which disregards international legal rules, has been occupying the homeland of people of Palestine, has been systematically violation UN resolutions, has to first account for its own doings”.
Government Spokesperson: Israel is an occupying state
In his statement on Twitter, AKP Spokesperson and Vice Chair Mahir Ünal said, “We strongly condemn Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu’s words against Mr. President”.
“We urge the ones who head an occupying state to stop their actions that go against the historical and political realities of the region”.
