Peace will prevail despite Israeli provocation, says Turkish president

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday that a more sensitive phase has begun in the region, adding that Israel is opposing even the smallest prospect of peace.

“We know that Israel cannot tolerate even the slightest possibility of peace,” Erdogan said, addressing his Justice and Development (AK) Party group at the Turkish parliament.

Speaking about recent developments in the region, Erdogan said that statements made by Israeli politicians over the past 10 days suggested that “rather than a state guided by reason, what we are facing is a group of radicals that has lost control.”

“The situation is so grave that everyone is accusing one another of killing fewer people and shedding less blood,” he said.

Erdogan said that some groups in Israel did not want weapons to fall silent in the region and were attempting to undermine a recent agreement reached through extensive diplomatic efforts.

He called Israel a "massacre network that made terror and occupation state policy," saying it has done everything to undermine the "hard-won consensus" reached through the efforts of all parties over the past 10 days.

He added that those responsible would continue such efforts until they achieved their objectives.

“If peace comes to our region, it will come despite Israel. If there is tranquility in our region, it will be despite Israel's provocations,” Erdogan said.

“Whatever this network of massacres does, it will not be able to prevent peace, justice, stability, and prosperity from prevailing in our region.”

Erdogan said Türkiye would continue supporting diplomatic efforts to seize any opportunity for peace.

“As Türkiye, we will not refrain from doing whatever falls upon us to ensure that even the smallest chance for peace is utilized,” he said.

He added that Ankara would continue to support efforts aimed at achieving a permanent resolution to the crisis involving Iran in the period ahead.

The US and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding on June 18 and began talks Sunday in Switzerland, mediated by Pakistan and Qatar, to reach an agreement to end the war that the US and Israel began against Iran on Feb. 28.

Israel continues its offensive on Lebanon, despite the US-Iran memorandum of understanding calling for fighting to stop on all fronts, including Lebanon.