Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan delivered a dramatic speech decrying Israel as a “terror state” and “child-killer state” on Sunday and accusing American President Donald Trump of using an “Evangelist understanding” of Israel to accept Jerusalem as the capital of the state.
“Jerusalem is the light of our eyes. We won’t leave it to the conscience of a state that only values occupation and looting,” Erdogan declared, according to Turkish newspaper Hurriyet. “We will continue our struggle decisively within the law and democracy.”
“Israel is a state of occupation and a terror state … will not leave Jerusalem to the consciousness of a child-killer state,” he added.
Erdogan went on to call the Palestinian territories “oppressed and a victim” and the development of Israel as “treachery.”
Erdogan also stated that he was engaging in “intense phone diplomacy” and had spoken to Pope Francis, among other world leaders, about President Trump’s announcement last week that the United States would recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and move its embassy there.
“We’ve told them that this issue is not one that only concerns Muslims; it is also the seizure of the rights of Christians. But I must say clearly that this step of the U.S. is completely an Evangelist understanding,” he said. READ MORE
