Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday slammed the UN Security Council after the United States vetoed a resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza.
Erdogan, who does not recognize Hamas as a terrorist organization, described UN leadership as the “Israel protection council,” following a Friday vote in which the U.S. was the only member nation to oppose the measure. Erdogan also accused the West of “barbarism” and Islamophobia for the war in Gaza.
The vote in the 15-member council was 13-1, with the United Kingdom abstaining. The U.S. is one of five permanent members to have veto power, and its no vote canned the measure.
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“Since October 7, the security council has become an Israel protection and defense council,” Erdogan said, according to AFP.
Hamas terrorists launched a brutal attack on Israel on October 7 that killed about 1,200 and sparked the current Israeli offense against Hamas, which the group claims has killed more than 17,400.
“Is this justice?” Erdogan questioned after the vote, adding, “The world is bigger than five,” a reference to the five nations that hold veto power in the UN Security Council.
“Another world is possible, but without America,” the Turkish leader said.
“The United States stands by Israel with its money and military equipment. Hey, America! How much are you going to pay for that?” he added.
“Every day, the Declaration of Human Rights is violated in Gaza,” he said, according to AFP.
Erdogan has been hugely critical of Israel’s role in the conflict. He panned the nation at a packed hall in Istanbul the day before the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights according to the Associated Press.
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“Israel has carried out atrocities and massacres that will shame the whole of humanity,” Erdogan said.
Erdogan also took aim at the West for its role in wars.
“We have seen this example of the West’s barbarism in all those unfortunate events that they either supported or perpetrated.”
“According to their understanding, non-Westerners don’t have the right to enjoy those universal human rights . . . they overlook Islamophobic attacks, and they show the twisted perception and mentality of the West,” he said.
The comments come after Erdogan claimed earlier this week that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will be tried as a “war criminal” after Israel’s war against Hamas concludes.
He also compared Netanyahu to genocidal dictators of the past.
The Associated Press, along with Fox News’ Chris Pandolfo and Anders Hagstrom, contributed to this report.
