Israel can’t be stopped merely by condemnation: Turkish parliament speaker

BAKU, Azerbaijan

Turkish Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmus stressed the ineffectiveness of merely condemning Israel's war on Gaza, calling for swift international intervention to halt its aggression.

Speaking on Thursday at the 14th session of the Asian Parliamentary Assembly (APA) in Azerbaijan's capital, Baku, Kurtulmus commended Azerbaijan for its assumption of the APA term presidency and expressed confidence in its leadership.

Regarding relations between Türkiye and Azerbaijan, he reiterated the sentiment of “One nation, two states,” highlighting the strong bond under Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev's leadership.

He congratulated Aliyev on his re-election and praised Azerbaijan's success in the Karabakh Liberation War.

Addressing Israel's attacks on Gaza, Kurtulmus condemned the ongoing violence as a severe violation of human rights.

“What's even more distressing is that while the Israeli government, (Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu and his cohorts commit these crimes, the whole world is watching,” he said.

He called for global action to prevent further atrocities, emphasizing the need to isolate Israel diplomatically on every platform.

Kurtulmus’s remarks came amid escalating tensions, with Israel facing mounting criticism for its aggressive actions.

The international community's response to the crisis remains crucial in curbing further bloodshed.

*Writing by Gizem Nisa Cebi in Istanbul