Erdoğan at UN: Slams Israel, Touts Armenia-Turkey Normalization

In his speech at the high-level meeting of the UN General Assembly, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan made a number of sharp and noteworthy statements concerning global conflicts, humanitarian crises, and the global governance system. At the heart of his speech was the urgency of recognizing the State of Palestine, harsh criticism of Israel's actions, and a reference to the processes in the South Caucasus, including Armenian-Turkish relations.

The most emotional and tough part of Erdoğan's speech was dedicated to the situation in Gaza. He stated categorically that what is happening in Gaza is not a war. "One cannot speak of two equal sides. On one side is a modern army armed with the deadliest weapons, on the other are innocent civilians and children," he stressed. The Turkish leader called on the international community to intensify its efforts to achieve an immediate ceasefire. He thanked all the countries that have already recognized the State of Palestine and urged others to follow their example without delay.

Erdoğan accused Israel of expanding its operations beyond Gaza and the West Bank, noting that the attacks on Syria, Yemen, Iran, and Lebanon are a serious threat to regional peace. "The attack on Qatar shows that the Israeli leadership is completely out of control," he said. Erdoğan criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu personally, insisting that he is "not interested in either peace or the release of the hostages." According to him, "the Israeli government, obsessed with the idea of a 'promised land,' is openly threatening regional peace and universal human values."

Erdoğan dedicated a separate part of his speech to the Armenian-Turkish and Armenian-Azerbaijani processes. Referring to the events in the South Caucasus, the Turkish President stressed that Ankara has been in favor of establishing peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan from the very beginning. He welcomed the steps taken on August 8 to strengthen stability and expressed his gratitude to the leaders who contributed to this process: Presidents Ilham Aliyev, Donald Trump, and Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

Erdoğan made a separate reference to the process of normalizing relations between Armenia and Turkey. Erdoğan noted: "The process of normalizing relations between Turkey and Armenia is proceeding according to plan." This statement, which was made from the highest world stage, is seen as a reaffirmation of official Ankara's commitment to continue the process.

Concluding his speech, the Turkish President repeated his famous thesis, criticizing the structure of the UN Security Council. "We will continue to declare that the world is bigger than five until a system is created where the just are strong, not the strong are just. A more just world is possible, and Turkey will continue its struggle for a more just world," Erdoğan concluded, once again emphasizing Turkey's ambitions to become one of the key players in shaping global politics.