Erdoan condemns countries complicit in Israeli crimes

Addressing the inauguration of the new session of the Turkish Parliament in the capital Ankara on Tuesday, President Recep Tayyip Erdoan lashed out at Israel.

Israel has committed every crime against humanity, from ethnic cleansing to bombing schools, recklessly and repeatedly, he said, while castigating support for Israel from the international community.

Israeli terrorism and genocide in Palestine have spread to Lebanon. The invading forces announced their ground incursion into Lebanon. Israel is trying to provoke regional countries with the ring of fire it has created while continuing its genocide in Gaza. Israel, which massacred 42,000 people in Gaza and began new massacres in Lebanon, did not receive the necessary reaction from the world, Erdoan said.

Erdoan once again compared Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Nazi Germany's leader Adolf Hitler, as he has repeatedly, and he should be “arrested like Hitler was arrested.”

“Despite all the shame (on humanity), some countries continue to openly support Israel while others support it indirectly by remaining silent (in the face of Israel's crimes against humanity),” he said. declared.

The president said the Netanyahu administration's next target could very well be our lands after its attacks in Lebanon. “The Israeli administration, which acts according to its illusion of the “Promised Land”, will set its sights on “our homeland after Palestine and Lebanon,” he declared.

He said Trkiye would do everything in his power to adhere to his position against Israel, whatever price we might pay.

Israeli aggression also targets Trkiye. We will use all means at our disposal for our homeland and our independence, he said. He also reaffirmed Trkiyes' support for the Lebanese brothers.

We will support them in every possible way, he added.

Expired Constitution

Erdoan also addressed the issue of the new constitution which he has defended on several occasions. The president told lawmakers that the current 1982 Constitution had expired. The current Constitution was imposed on our nation under the shadow of guns after the September 12 coup. More than 20 amendments to the Constitution demonstrate that the nation is not satisfied with them. It is possible to achieve our greatest goals through a new civil constitution. The AKP and the People's Alliance are working meticulously on this issue. We are not turning our backs on ideas about a new constitution. We respect every idea. Our basic principle is to have a reconciling, not polarizing, platform to focus on freedoms and not prohibitions. The new constitution should not divide the state and the nation; rather it should unite the two, he said.

The President affirmed his confidence in Parliament to work on a new constitution and invited all segments of society to contribute to the development of the new civil constitution.

The government has been pushing for more than a decade to revise the Trkiyes Constitution, which was implemented in 1982 following a military coup that led to the detention of hundreds of thousands of people as well as mass trials, torture and executions, which still represents a dark period. in Turkish political history.

The ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) has a detailed draft prepared by a scientific council during the pandemic, which it hopes to submit to parliament. The Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), an ally of the AK Party, also has a draft constitution comprising more than 100 articles. Before the summer recess, Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmu oversaw negotiations between political parties on a constitutional revision and visited representatives of all parties in Parliament since January to discuss a new constitution. He said the general consensus was positive in favor of a new constitution, but the main opposition party, the Republican People's Party (CHP), still remained far from the table.

At least 400 lawmakers must ratify a new draft constitution in Parliament. Any result above 360 ​​votes would allow a referendum, allowing the people to decide. The People's Alliance, made up of the MHP, does not have a parliamentary majority, but insiders said the bloc could take further steps to win over the opposition, including changing the current presidential system.

Since its founding, the modern Turkish state has been governed by four constitutions, the first being adopted in 1921, amended in 1924 and 1961 before the implementation of the 1982 Constitution. The document has undergone modifications over the years to follow global and regional geopolitical conjectures. The most notable changes were introduced via referendums in 2010, allowing the 1980 putschists to be tried in civil courts, and in 2017, replacing the parliamentary system with an executive presidency.

The AKP attempted an overhaul in 2007 when it commissioned a commission to produce a draft, but it was abandoned following strong criticism from the opposition. Since then, the party has been working on more solid material. The proposed changes covered freedom, the right to security, the right to a fair trial, freedom of expression and the rights of women and people with disabilities. The party said it would hold public rallies to collect suggestions from ordinary citizens on the new basic laws and launch a workshop once the legislature begins to discuss a roadmap to a new constitution with the participation of academicians and legal experts.

The Sabah Daily News Bulletin

Keep up to date with what's happening in Türkiye, its region and the world.

SUBSCRIBE ME

You can unsubscribe at any time. By registering, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.