AK Party’s Vice Chairman and Head of Foreign affairs Zafer Sırakaya celebrated the 36th anniversary of the State of Palestine.

“We commemorate and celebrate Palestine’s Independence Day with a heavy heart, at a time when Israel’s aggression in Gaza, reaching the level of genocide, has violated all values of humanity.”

Sırakaya continued:“The Declaration of Independence, announced 36 years ago in Algeria by former Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO) leader Yasser Arafat, was a significant milestone in granting a Palestinian statehood.

Despite this, today, the Republic of Turkiye stands as the only country, and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as the sole leader, taking a firm stance against the genocidal acts carried out on Palestinian lands by Israel. Our President, who stated ‘The world is bigger than five,’ has highlighted the collapse of the established international global order.

The indiscriminate targeting of every Palestinian men, women, children, and the elderly by the occupying forces cannot be accepted under the shared universal values of humanity.

On Palestine’s Independence Day, I once again pay my respects to the courageous sons and daughters of Palestine, who valiantly defend their birthplace against the most advanced weapons of destruction employed by Israel.

As part of the Palestinian cause, inspired by Necip Fazıl’s words, ‘Either bow to Allah and no one else, or bow to everyone and nothing at all,’ we firmly believe that neutrality in the face of oppression and genocide is dishonourable. With Allah’s permission, we will continue to stand tall and unwavering against injustice.”