“In their eyes, does it matter whether we are Shia or Sunni, Turkish, Kurdish, Arab or Persian?”
Expressing deep sorrow over the civilian toll of the conflict, Erdogan drew attention to the shared grief felt across the region.
“With a bleeding heart, I ask: what difference is there between the tears shed in Isfahan and Tehran and those shed in Erbil, Baghdad, Beirut or Riyadh?”
Although he characterised the conflict as fundamentally Israel’s war, Erdogan argued that the consequences were being borne by a far wider population.
“This may be Israel’s war, but the heavy price is being paid first by Muslims and ultimately by all humanity,” he said.
Zionist strategies
Erdogan also warned against attempts to deepen divisions among regional communities, accusing Zionist strategies of seeking to inflame sectarian and ethnic tensions.
“We reject any action or debate that would fuel hostility among brotherly peoples or support the divide-and-rule plans of Zionism targeting our region,” he said.
The Turkish president said that once the sound of bombs and missiles fades, the peoples of the Middle East will still have to live together.
“After the deadly roar of bombs and missiles falls silent, we will continue to live together in this geography,” Erdogan said. “No one should forget this reality.”
Erdogan also condemned restrictions on Muslim worship at Al-Aqsa Mosque, saying that for the first time since 1967, Eid prayers had not been performed at the holy site.
“This lawlessness is an insolent attack on the faith of two billion Muslims,” he said, adding that under no circumstances could Muslims’ right to worship at Al-Aqsa be prevented or banned.
Reaffirming Türkiye’s diplomatic approach, Erdogan said Ankara would continue to pursue a foreign policy centred on peace and stability.
“We will not step back from our peaceful foreign policy built on the principle of peace for everyone, stability for everyone and prosperity for everyone,” he said.
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