IHH Foundation calls for mass march to close Incirlik Base, citing regional threats

The press conference titled "We are going to Incirlik Base with our vehicles from all over Türkiye" was held at the IHH Headquarters and featured prominent figures such as IHH President Bülent Yıldırım, Hope Caravan President Cengiz Kurtaran, Mavi Marmara Association President Beheshti İsmail Songür, and several representatives from non-governmental organizations.

In the conference, speakers highlighted the alleged involvement of the Incirlik Base in actions against Palestinians in the region, linking these events to Zionism. The base, founded in 1951 in Adana as a measure against the eastern bloc, was criticized for its misuse, particularly in conflicts affecting Arab territories and Türkiye.

Beheshti Ismail Songür

Beheshti Ismail Songür, the President of the Mavi Marmara Association, voiced concerns, stating: "Whenever an uprising against Israel occurred in the Middle East, actions were taken from the Incirlik Base, or the Zionists evacuated from there were somehow protected." Songür emphasized the historical link between the base and events such as supplying weapons for the expulsion of Palestinians from Jordan in the early 1970s.

Highlighting recent development in Palestine, Songür noted that the Incirlik Base facilitated the refueling of planes involved in the conflict in Gaza. He urged for a re-evaluation of the base's presence in the region, calling for a unified stance from authorities, civil society, and the public.

Bülent Yıldırım

IHH President Bülent Yıldırım, at the same conference, invited individuals to join the march to Incirlik, encouraging those unable to physically participate to support financially or through conscientious objection to the occupation regime.

Yıldırım expanded the discourse to a global context, stating: "The issue is not just the Palestinian cause but the global occupation." He drew attention to a map outlining America's occupation plan for Türkiye, emphasizing Incirlik's strategic importance in this plan.

Yıldırım also addressed European and American populations, urging them to recognize the influence of Zionism in their nations. He accused world leaders of being servants of Zionism and called for their removal. He strongly condemned israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, likening him to Hitler and accusing him of orchestrating a massacre in Gaza to promote anti-Semitism and force global Jews into israel.

The speech concluded with a call for global solidarity against the perceived world zionist system, rallying support for the planned march to Incirlik Base from various parts of Türkiye.

The march is set to commence on Friday, with stops scheduled in Adapazari, Ankara, and Konya before reaching the Incirlik Base.

The IHH plans to mobilize a march to the Incirlik Base from various parts of Türkiye, with stops in Adapazari and Ankara before heading to the base.

The foundation aims to highlight the role of the Incirlik Base in aiding israel's genocide in Palestine and to call for its closure. (ILKHA)