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Turkiye slams Europe's double standards: Refuse to support Palestine and allow the Quran to be insulted

October 31, 2023 at 8:48 am

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in Ankara, Turkiye on October 27, 2023 [Mustafa Çiftçi/Anadolu Agency]

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan attacked European countries that banned demonstrations of solidarity with Palestine despite allowing the Quran to be desecrated in public events.

Receiving EU diplomats in Ankara yesterday, Fidan said: “Some European countries are taking steps to ban pro-Palestine demonstrations, while, at the same time allowing attacks targeting our holy book, the Holy Quran, under the pretext of freedom of speech, is a double standard.”

He added that attacks targeting civilians are unacceptable, stressing the need to stop them immediately and declare a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

READ: Turkiye Red Crescent condemns bombing of aid warehouse in Gaza

“We must prevent the conflict from reaching a regional level and begin the peace process aimed at a two-state solution as soon as possible, within the framework of agreed-upon criteria, and in this context, we are convinced of the possibility of using the guarantor mechanism,” he told the officials.

Fidan’s criticism came as Palestine solidarity events have been banned in a number of European countries. Despite this, pro-Palestine demonstrations were held under heavy police protection and violent intervention, and in contrast, there are no restrictions or bans on pro-Israel protests.

Fidan has previously said that those who support Israel’s actions under the pretext of solidarity with it are accomplices.

If Ukrainians had taken the steps Palestinians just took, would they be seen as heroes? - Cartoon [Sabaaneh/Middle East Monitor]

If Ukrainians had taken the steps Palestinians just took, would they be seen as heroes? – Cartoon [Sabaaneh/Middle East Monitor]