Turkish opposition parties condemn Israel for killings

By Selma Kasap and Alper Atalay

ANKARA

Turkey’s opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) on Tuesday condemned Israel for the recent killing of dozens of Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip.

According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, at least 60 Palestinian demonstrators have been martyred by cross-border Israeli gunfire in one of the deadliest single-day massacres in the country's history.

“Jerusalem cannot be Israel’s capital," MHP leader Devlet Bahceli said in a written statement. "Both human conscience and the deep heritage of our faith and its ancient rights will not allow this."

Bahceli said the U.S.’s recent move to relocate its embassy to Jerusalem had “ignited” a big conflict in the region.

Through the recent violent events, Israel has proven that it is a “murderer” and a “terrorist state”, he said.

During his party’s group meeting in Ankara, Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Co-Chair Sezai Temelli also condemned and cursed “this provocation and Israeli government’s massacrist attempt.”

Underlining the importance of Jerusalem for the three major monotheistic religions, Temelli called on the United Nations Security Council to urgently convene and use its power of sanction.

Thousands of Palestinians gathered on the Gaza Strip’s eastern border Monday to take part in mass rallies to commemorate the Nakba anniversary and protest the relocation of the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

Since the border rallies began on March 30, more than 100 Palestinian demonstrators have been killed by cross-border Israeli gunfire, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

The rallies were expected to culminate on Tuesday, the 70th anniversary of Israel's establishment -- an event Palestinians refer to as the "Nakba" or "the Catastrophe".

Last week, the Israeli government said the ongoing border protests constituted a “state of war” in which international humanitarian law did not apply.