ISTANBUL

Turkish civil society organizations under the National Will Platform have called on the public to attend a rally on Istanbul's Galata Bridge on Jan. 1 to say “stop” to the massacre in Palestine.

Speaking to Anadolu, Hatice Yilmaz, chair of the board of the Türkiye Youth and Education Service Foundation (TURGEV), said the Palestinian cause represents a multi-layered area of responsibility for civil society.

Emphasizing the importance of CSOs and the public acting as advocates for Palestine, Yilmaz said Türkiye has supported Palestine from the very beginning both diplomatically and internationally, as well as through humanitarian aid.

“Türkiye has taken responsibility for the Gaza issue. Israel is not complying with the ceasefire rules and is committing numerous violations in legal and humanitarian terms. At this point, showing a reaction is of great importance,” she said.

Drawing attention to the decline in mass demonstrations in Western countries following the ceasefire decision, Yilmaz added: “In Europe and the United States, public demonstrations have almost come to a halt. We will come together on Jan. 1 to break this silence and keep awareness alive. Our aim is to ensure Palestine is not forgotten.”

Yilmaz said that, while individual and social media reactions continue, mass protests in Europe and the US have largely ceased, emphasizing the importance of continuing demonstrations involving diverse societal segments.

Extending condolences to police officers martyred in an operation against the terrorist organization ISIS (Daesh) in Yalova and wishing a speedy recovery to the injured, Yilmaz said: “I invite all our citizens to unite on Jan. 1, Thursday, on the Galata Bridge in support of Palestine and to honor our martyrs.”

‘Greatest threat to world peace and stability today is Israel’

Abdullah Ceylan, president of the ONDER Imam Hatip Schools Association, said the “Jan. 1 call” is not limited to Palestine or Gaza but carries a universal meaning.

He noted that the call is made to all humanity for “world peace, global brotherhood, and harmony.”

“When we look back, we can clearly see that the greatest threat to world peace and stability today is Israel,” Ceylan said. “We can state clearly that Israel is a cancerous cell of the world and must be stopped and eliminated as soon as possible.”

Pointing out that the world is approaching the end of 2025, when institutions and countries prepare yearbooks, Ceylan said: “Look at what Israel would present in its 2025 yearbook. Is there a single item that contributes to humanity or world peace? Absolutely not. Israel’s 2025 yearbook includes only the killing of innocents, burning children in tents, displacing millions, massacring tens of thousands, and attacking countries. There is blood, tears, and oppression.”

Ceylan said what is happening in Palestine reflects a nearly century-long policy of occupation and genocide, noting that this process has continued over the past two years before the eyes of the world.

Stressing that the call goes beyond those focused on Palestine and Gaza, Ceylan said it addresses parents concerned about their children’s future, educators, journalists, lawyers, and doctors.

“We are fighting the world’s biggest cancer cell, and it must be stopped,” he said.

Ceylan also criticized the silence of international institutions, saying Israel continues to attack Gaza despite the ceasefire, and arguing that the international system has collapsed, with only Türkiye objecting among the guarantor countries.

‘Being at Galata is a human and moral duty’

Noting that the march will be held for the third time to renew awareness of Palestine, Tulun, president of the Ilim Yayma Society, said being at Galata on Jan. 1 is a human and moral duty, adding that participants will gather to support Gaza, call for freedom for Palestinians, honor martyrs, and condemn terrorism.