Turkiye must exert more efforts to support Gaza: CHP to Al Mayadeen

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Al Mayadeen
30 Jul 2024 00:23

The deputy chairman of the Turkish Republican People's Party tells Al Mayadeen that his party does not support any side interfering in the internal affairs of any country, including those of Syria, Iraq, Iran, and Palestine.

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Deputy Chairman of the Turkish Republican People's Party, Ilhan Uzgel, speaking to Al Mayadeen

The Turkish Republican People's Party (CHP) rejects certain private companies exporting materials used in military industries to "Israel", its Deputy Chairman Ilhan Uzgel told Al Mayadeen.

In an interview aired on Monday, Uzgel highlighted that the Gaza Strip is witnessing a real humanitarian tragedy, condemning the genocidal acts of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government.

"We can never approve of this," he emphasized.

Uzgel pointed out that his party has "always stood alongside the Palestinian people," revealing that CHP leader Ozgur Ozel sent letters to leaders of 119 democratic and socialist parties worldwide, urging them to support Gaza.

"We in the [Turkish] Cumhuriyet Halk Partisi strongly denounce the actions of Netanyahu and his government, including their acts of genocide. We are doing everything within our power to confront these assaults."

- Ilhan Uzgel, Deputy Chairperson of the Cumhuriyet Halk Partisi… https://t.co/UhChK1EWHY
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) July 29, 2024

The Turkish official also expressed the CHP's desire to visit occupied Palestine but noted that his party did not receive sufficient responsiveness from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

He also affirmed that the Republican People's Party supports the Turkish government in taking effective measures to support Gaza, adding, "We want it to exert more efforts" in this regard.

'We respect the internal affairs of countries'

In a separate context, Uzgel told Al Mayadeen that his party does not support any side interfering in the internal affairs of any country, including those of Syria, Iraq, Iran, and Palestine.

He indicated that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's administration has always been involved in Middle East conflicts and relied on the Muslim Brotherhood organization in the region – actions based on sectarian grounds that the CHP does not support.

Uzgel added that Turkiye has unfavorably interfered significantly in Syrian affairs and is still paying the price of this decision.

The CHP Deputy Chairman confirmed that Turkiye will withdraw its soldiers from Iraq once the threat of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) ends.

At the same time, he stressed that the Middle East region is very important to his party, and "we want to first establish a peace ring with our neighbors," he maintained.

Some issues in Turkiye-US relations

Touching on Ankara's relationship with Washington, Uzgel confirmed that it goes way back and has numerous dimensions, noting that these ties have remained unchanged throughout history despite changes in US administrations.

He added that it does not matter for Ankara whether Donald Trump or someone else wins the coming US presidential race, revealing that there are some issues in the two countries' relations but they are "solvable".

CHP aims to make Turkiye join EU

Uzgel addressed the country's internal affairs, saying that there are other reasons for the decline in Erdogan's party votes in the elections, including poor administration and economic problems.

He added that due to the Palestinian cause, there have been reactions from a segment of voters against Erdogan's Justice and Development Party government.

He confirmed that one of the reasons for the CHP's success is the rise of a leader he described as "more dynamic and youthful," noting that his party is still leading in the opinion polls conducted since the elections.

Regarding the situation of Syrian refugees in Turkiye, Uzgel affirmed his rejection of attacks on refugees' homes and properties, stressing that this file constitutes a real problem.

He stated that Erdogan's government bargained over the refugees and negotiated on this issue with the European Union during the tenure of former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, affirming that "this is neither ethical nor humane."

Elsewhere, Uzgel pointed out that, if the Turkish Republican People's Party comes to power in the country, it aims to usher Ankara's way into the European Union.

"We want Turkiye to be part of the West without neglecting the Middle East," he told Al Mayadeen.