Ambassador Mustafa spoke at the opening of the conference titled "One Year After Israel's Gaza Genocide and Regional Effects," organized by the Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research (SETA).

Mustafa stated that very tragic events have been occurring in the Middle East, particularly in Palestine and the Gaza Strip, and emphasized that these events deserve to be examined and discussed.

Highlighting the need for stability and security, Mustafa expressed that Israel's attacks have led to massacres and war crimes.

He noted that the massacres and crimes initiated by Israel's attacks have not stopped and continue to spread throughout the Middle East, stressing that everyone needs to take action.

Describing the past year as dramatic for the Palestinian people, Mustafa mentioned that there are plans to reoccupy the Gaza Strip and that its relationship with the rest of the world has been severed.

"Humanity is facing a new test."

Mustafa stated that people are being killed in Gaza and that 2 million have been displaced, adding, "While the whole world talks about the two-state solution, Israel alone is trying to destroy, kill, and eradicate it."

He noted that what Israel is doing in Gaza is also being implemented in the West Bank, as it continues to build new settlement areas, which he argued will undermine and lead to the disappearance of the two-state solution. Mustafa emphasized that despite the obstacles, they will not give up on establishing a free and independent Palestinian state, and that many countries and their peoples are supporting the Palestinian state and changing their perceptions.

Mustafa mentioned that Israel has also attacked Lebanon and that tensions between Iran and Israel have increased, stating that as long as Israel is not stopped, there will be greater repercussions and that this country is the source of tension in the region.

Pointing out that the substantial and ongoing logistical, political, and military support the U.S. provides to Israel empowers the Tel Aviv government, Mustafa concluded, "Humanity is facing a new test. Stability and security can only be achieved after the rights of the Palestinian people are granted and a free and independent Palestinian state is established."

"The United Nations was established for the winning countries."

Referring to President Recep Tayyip ErdoÄŸan's statement that "the world is greater than five," Mustafa emphasized that the structure of the United Nations is not fair and was created to serve the winning countries.

Mustafa pointed out that the international structure needs to be changed, stating, "It is necessary to act together to build a fairer world. The support of the Turkish people and institutions for Palestine honors us. We will protect and uphold all our lands. We will stand with the oppressed against the oppressors."

"We need to approach the issue with a new paradigm."

SETA General Coordinator Assoc. Prof. Nebi MiÅŸ stated that the world has witnessed one of the greatest atrocities in human history over the past year.

He emphasized that the failure of the international community to implement deterrent sanctions and to show the necessary will to stop the genocide in Gaza has deepened this dire situation. He continued:

"The institutions and structural framework of the current global order are now unsustainable. Instead of standing with the oppressed against the oppressor, the existing system has created a situation where the actions of the genocidal perpetrators are rewarded rather than punished. All these events demonstrate that we need to approach the issue with a new paradigm to build a fairer world."

Coordinator MiÅŸ pointed out that the overwhelming majority of Western institutionalized democracies, led by the U.S., disregard legal and moral values to support Israel, which can be explained as an attempt to prevent changes in the political order in the Middle East or, more broadly, globally, while preserving the status quo.

He stressed that these powers, unwilling to see the Western-centric order shaken, have not hesitated for a moment to endorse the aggressive stance of (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu and his cabinet while turning a deaf ear to the suffering of the Gazans. He noted:

"The genocidal regime has gained de facto immunity with the continuous support of Western states, establishing itself in an exceptional position within the international system. Israel does not recognize the right to life for anyone except those who serve its own interests in the territories it controls. The genocidal regime continues to take provocative steps to escalate tensions and trigger regional war. After Gaza and the West Bank, Israel continues its massacres in Lebanon. By undermining all diplomatic initiatives and negotiation processes, Israel is implementing a strategy of destruction through its ongoing massacres."

MiÅŸ stated that since October 7, 2023, Israel's arguments have become insufficient even to convince Western public opinion.

During the conference, a session titled "Israel's Genocide in Gaza and International Law" was held, moderated by Muhittin Ataman, a faculty member of the Department of International Relations at Ankara Social Sciences University and Editor of Insight Turkey. The session featured speakers including Prof. Dr. Cavid Abdullahzade from Ankara University, Prof. Dr. Yücel Acer from Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University, and Fettullah Bayraktar from the National Intelligence Academy.

In the second session titled "The Changing Middle East After October 7," moderated by Bilgehan Öztürk, a security researcher at SETA, speakers included Dr. Muhammed Hüseyin Mercan from Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Abdulgani Bozkurt from Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University, and Dr. Taha Eğri from Kırklareli University's Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences.

This is a translated text taken from the source at [Anadolu Agency, October 9, 2024]