“The U.S. statement about our President Erdogan’s remarks on the Israeli violence against Palestinian civilians is absolutely unacceptable. Those who do not have the courage and decency to condemn the killing of children have no moral standing to lecture anyone,” Altun said.

“Our President simply pointed out-and he will continue to do so- that the U.S. administration is complicit in Israel’s expanding occupation and the apartheid regime. The U.S.’s continued military support and prevention of meaningful UNSC action are just a few examples.”

Altun stated that whenever there was justified criticism, israel and its allies cry anti-Semitism to change the focus away from their occupation, violence, apartheid regime, and crimes against humanity.

“It is tiresome and stale but it will not stop us from calling out the oppressors,” Altun added.

Altun underlined that the current U.S. administration’s silence, complicity, and even encouragement of Israeli actions under the guise of “self-defense” is simply indefensible.

“Trying to tie our leader Erdogan to anti-Semitism is a clear symptom of guilt conscience,” Altun emphasized.

“We have and will continue to call on the international community and those with a clear conscience to stand up to Israel’s occupation and attacks on innocent civilians. Those who have no courage to call Israel out are the real inciters of violence,” Altun said, adding: “Enabling an apartheid regime in its repression of innocent people in occupied territories and then turning around and blaming others who call it out is the height of hypocrisy. We categorically reject any attempt to misrepresent our President Erdogan’s words.”

“Speaking about an Israeli Prime Minister who expressed his enjoyment of killing Muslims is not anti-Semitism. It is an unfortunate reality of some Israeli leaders’ mindset. Our President Erdogan consistently called out anti-Semitism as well as Islamophobia and xenophobia while opposing Israel’s persecution of Palestinians.”

“We will stand with Palestine. We will stand for justice. We will stand for humanity,” he concluded. (ILKHA)