In his address to parliament on Wednesday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called Palestinian resistance group Hamas as “liberators” who are fighting to “protect their lands and people.”
“Hamas is not a terrorist organization, it is a group of mujahideen (fighters) defending their lands,” he said.
Erdogan said that he was saddened by the United Nations’ “inability” to agree on a resolution regarding Israel’s bombardment of Gaza and to call for a humanitarian ceasefire there.
Erdogan has also called off a planned visit to Israel over its “inhumane” war in Gaza, saying relations between the two states would not improve.
“We had a project to go to Israel, but it was cancelled; we will not go,” Erdogan told governing party lawmakers in parliament as he lambasted Israel’s bombing campaign in Gaza and defended Hamas.
Erdogan is expected to attend a pro-Palestinian rally in Istanbul on Saturday organised by the governing Justice and Development Party.
