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Turkish Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmus challenged NATO allies to apply the same standards they use for Ukraine to the situation in Gaza during a meeting with Turkish journalists in Brussels following a NATO Parliamentary Assembly summit.
Speaking at the Turkish Chamber of Commerce Brussels office, Kurtulmus criticized what he called a double standard in Western responses to international conflicts, particularly regarding Israel's actions in Gaza and the West Bank.
"We shared our view with our allies that 'You need to show the same attitude you demonstrate on the Ukraine issue against the oppression of Palestine and the implementation of a great massacre and genocide in Gaza,'" Kurtulmus said.
The Turkish official described Israel's actions as going beyond Gaza, characterizing them as "occupation, annexation, oppression, and massacre policies" across Palestinian territories that have reached "a new dimension."
Kurtulmus noted growing public opposition in Western countries to Israeli military actions, despite government positions.
"No matter what governments do, no matter how much they follow pro-Israel policies, no matter how much they remain silent so as not to anger Israel and its friends, a very big social reaction has started in Western countries," he said.
He described this phenomenon as a "humanity front" that transcends religious, linguistic, racial, and political differences, adding that it has become "humanity's litmus paper."
The NATO summit's main agenda focused on strengthening NATO's security presence in Europe and supporting Ukraine. Kurtulmus reaffirmed Türkiye's support for Ukrainian territorial integrity while maintaining diplomatic channels with both Ukraine and Russia as neighboring countries.
Regarding Türkiye's defense spending, Kurtulmus responded to NATO's suggestion that members spend 5% of gross domestic product (GDP) on defense by emphasizing Türkiye's strategic necessities.
"We live in such a geography that we have to provide our own defense without being dependent on others," he said, noting Türkiye currently spends above 2% of its GDP on defense.
The speaker also addressed NATO's adaptation challenges, arguing the alliance must adjust to new global conditions that differ from those when it was established.
He suggested NATO should focus more on how peace can be established, noting the organization has struggled to provide unified responses to recent threats.
On domestic political developments, Kurtulmus announced plans for parliamentary action on the "Terror-Free Türkiye" process. "Parliament has responsibilities. For this, we hope to start our work by forming a group as soon as possible, hopefully before parliament goes into summer recess," he stated.
The speaker emphasized this represents more than just a wish, describing it as a historic opportunity to eliminate ethnic and sectarian divisions that have plagued the region for decades.
Addressing recent tensions with some Turkic states over U.N. resolutions regarding Cyprus, Kurtulmus said bilateral discussions have resolved misunderstandings.
He noted that the Northern Cyprus parliament speaker recently participated as an observer in a Turkic Parliamentary Assembly meeting in Kazakhstan.
"Turkish states are an inseparable whole. Let no one try to sow discord among us," Kurtulmus declared, referring to the 300 million Turkic population stretching from Central Asia to Europe as a significant value.
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