Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş said Israel aims to sow discord in the region by setting its peoples against one another in order to carry out its plan for the "promised land."
Kurtulmuş spoke at a meeting with representatives of civil society organizations and community leaders in Kırşehir. The meeting was held as part of the 39th Ahi Culture Week celebrations.
Kurtulmuş emphasizes unity and cohesion
Pointing out that the region has become a field of fire because of the conflicts it is facing, Kurtulmuş argued that Israel views the peoples of the region as enemies within the framework of its "promised land" plan.
Kurtulmuş said Israel had carried out attacks in recent years against Palestine, particularly Gaza and the West Bank, as well as Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen and Qatar. He said Israel's main aim was to sow discord among the peoples of the region and set them against one another.
"Israel should not pursue imaginary goals," Kurtulmuş said, adding that Türkiye would work to bring the region together and enable it to follow its own path. He argued that terrorist organizations are among the most important tools used by imperialist states, particularly Israel.
"There is no separate future without Türkiye and the Kurds"
Kurtulmuş said the "Terror-Free Türkiye" process concerns not only Türkiye but the entire region. He said the region's fragmented parts must be brought together again, adding that divisions based on ethnicity and sectarian identity would benefit no one.
Kurtulmuş: Israel seeks to sow discord in the region to achieve the "promised land"
Kurtulmuş said the communities of the region, including Turks, Kurds, Arabs and Persians, could come together around a shared destiny and common goals, adding that non-Muslim communities are also part of the region's shared heritage.
Kurtulmuş said Turks have no future separate from Kurds, nor Kurds from Turks, and that Sunnis and Alevis are likewise parts of an inseparable whole. He emphasized that the strength of the peoples of the region comes from their capacity for unity, solidarity and strengthening the internal front.
Kurtulmuş said Türkiye had entered an irreversible path toward peace, fraternity and stability, adding that those who stand against this process would lose.
Emphasis on the Ahi tradition
The Ahi tradition addressed in Kurtulmuş's speech dates back to the Seljuk and Ottoman periods. It is based on the vocational training of the people of Anatolia in trade, crafts and the economy, equipping them with moral values and providing them with employment opportunities.
