Turkish parliament speaker slams Netanyahu's UN address

ISTANBUL

Turkish parliament speaker Numan Kurtulmus slammed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's speech at the UN General Assembly on Friday, calling it a "pathetic futile effort" to cover up war crimes.

In a post on X, Kurtulmus accused Netanyahu of "using the United Nations General Assembly platform to promote the terrorist acts they are responsible for is not just a problem for the UN and its member states but a concern for all of humanity."

Kurtulmus also criticized Netanyahu over two "fake maps" he held up during his address at the assembly, which did not identify the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, but showed all the territory as part of Israel.

"As recognized by 150 states, Netanyahu and his gang, who displayed the illegality and impudence of presenting a fake map showing the West Bank and Gaza, which are the territories of the State of Palestine, as their own, should know that imaginary maps drawn on the table are of no importance," said Kurtulmus.

He added that "war criminals" benefiting from such displays would face justice and be "thrown into the dustbin of history."

His comments echoed earlier remarks by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who called Netanyahu's presence at the UN "a source of shame."

Israel has continued a brutal offensive on Gaza following a cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas last October.

More than 41,500 people, most of them women and children, have since been killed and more than 96,000 injured, according to local health authorities.

Israel also faces accusations of genocide at the International Court of Justice for its actions in Gaza.