Speaking at the 1st Session of the OIC Ministerial Conference on Social Development, Erdoğan said: "We will continue to uphold the truth and justice and stand by the oppressed at all costs. We will never stop defending the Al-Quds cause and the rights of the Palestinians or acting in solidarity with all the oppressed".

 Underscoring that the OIC is founded on the Palestinian cause, Erdoğan noted: "Unfortunately, the situation in Palestine and in its inseparable part, Al-Quds, gets worse day by day. Israel’s attitude which knows no rights, law, justice or humanity continuously deepens the crisis in the region to the detriment of Muslims."

"We will continue to stand by the oppressed at all costs"

Stating that some countries’ recent unlawful recognition of Al-Quds as the capital city of Israel and their support for the illegal settlements have taken the problems to a new dimension, Erdoğan said: "We today face a Palestine on the streets of which innocent girls, fathers, mothers, elderly people, children and young people are openly executed and mercilessly murdered by Israel. What is more, Western countries and ─ I regret to say ─ some Arab states practically encourage this brutality of Israel. We, as Turkey, most of the time feel ourselves left alone in our objections to the oppression in Al-Quds and Palestine."

Further stressing that this principled stance of Turkey’s is one of the reasons behind the terrorist attacks and economic sabotages Turkey has faced in recent years, Erdoğan added: "Yet, we will continue to uphold the truth and justice and stand by the oppressed at all costs. We will never stop defending the Al-Quds cause and the rights of the Palestinians or acting in solidarity with all the oppressed." (ILKHA)