Turkish presidency criticizes U.S. over Netanyahu's Congress speech

Altun condemned the address as a "major stain" on the U.S. Congress, which he says is supposed to uphold human rights and democratic values.

In his statement, Altun accused Washington of endorsing Netanyahu, who he described as a war criminal. He argued that the decision to allow Netanyahu to speak and to criticize peaceful American protesters reflected poorly on U.S. commitment to protecting innocent lives. "Allowing Netanyahu to spread propaganda and insult American protestors is shameful," Altun remarked. He warned that the complicity of some U.S. politicians in Israeli crimes could undermine America's credibility on the global stage.

Altun also acknowledged that while some U.S. politicians protested or confronted Netanyahu's speech, his remarks were laden with "blatant lies" and "hatred for Palestinians." He expressed support for those Americans who opposed Netanyahu's narrative and criticized the ongoing U.S. support for Israel, which he said had led to the provision of financial and military aid despite human rights abuses.

He highlighted the failure of efforts to condition aid to Israel on human rights and criticized U.S. politicians who overlook the reality of Israeli policies. "The younger generations are increasingly aware of the realities of occupation, ethnic cleansing, and genocide in Palestine," Altun noted. He urged U.S. politicians to recognize that backing Netanyahu’s government is contrary to U.S. interests and values.

Altun reaffirmed Turkey's solidarity with those advocating for a just resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and pledged to work towards this goal despite opposition from Netanyahu's government and its allies in Congress. He emphasized that the Turkish government, under President Erdogan's leadership, remains committed to achieving a two-state solution with a sovereign Palestine.

“The conscience of the world is with a free Palestine,” Altun noted. He called for a reassessment of U.S. policies and expressed hope that the speech would serve as a wake-up call for Americans committed to peace. (ILKHA)