Ankara, September 17, 2025 — The Europe Today: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday reiterated Türkiye’s unwavering support for Palestinians and pledged that Muslims would never relinquish their rights over East Jerusalem.
Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony of the new Turkish Foreign Ministry building in Ankara, President Erdogan declared: “We will not allow Jerusalem to be defiled by unholy hands.” He emphasized the historic role of the Ottoman Empire, which governed Jerusalem for four centuries as a city of peace and coexistence, respecting the rights of Muslims, Christians, and Jews alike.
Erdogan reaffirmed Türkiye’s commitment to the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state within the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. He strongly criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and condemned Israel’s ongoing attacks in Gaza, pledging continued Turkish solidarity with the Palestinian people.
“No one can prevent us from standing by the oppressed people of Gaza who are struggling to survive under Israel’s brutal attacks,” he said, vowing that Türkiye would remain steadfast against those seeking to destabilize the region.
The president also extended Türkiye’s solidarity to nations and communities affected by conflict and instability, including Syria, Yemen, Lebanon, and Qatar, denouncing what he described as Israeli aggression and regional destabilization.
On foreign policy, Erdogan underlined Türkiye’s determination to pursue stability and cooperation across diverse regions—from the Balkans to Central Asia, Africa to Latin America, and Europe to the Asia-Pacific. He stressed Ankara’s vision of a world where “not the strong, but the rightful are powerful.”
Highlighting the role of the Foreign Ministry, Erdogan described it as an institution that has long embodied the pride of the Turkish state and served as the nation’s “gateway to the world.” He noted that the new ministry complex, designed with ecological and aesthetic considerations, would stand as a modern symbol of Türkiye’s global diplomatic stance.
