On Monday from noon to 2 p.m., activists will rally outside the mission of Turkiye to the UN demanding it “stop fueling the genocide and stop attacking Turkish activists seeking to protect Palestinians.”
The rally is organized by the newly-formed UN Mission Outreach Project. They state: “President Erdogan and the Turkish government have pretended to take actions, required under international law, to protect Palestinians from continuing Israeli war crimes and crimes against humanity. In May, 2024, they declared a trade embargo against Israel in response to its violation of the Genocide Convention, including through its starvation of the Palestinian population in Gaza. But President Erdogan and his government did not stop trading relations with Israel, and, instead, assured the delivery of fuel, metals used in weapons, and other economic goods that benefit the apartheid state. Erdogan’s hypocrisy has been denounced by activists worldwide, including in Turkiye, where, last week, they blocked ships from the Israeli shipping company, ZIM International, that was docked in Turkiye to obtain goods for delivery to Israel.” See: “Activists continue to protest docking of Israeli ships at Turkish ports.”
Robert Jereski, a lawyer with the UN Mission Outreach Project said today: “Erdogan’s crocodile tears will not protect Palestinians from Israel’s genocide. He and the rest of the government of Turkiye are deceitful in their claims they are banning trade with Israel. They are not, since they deliver oil, metals and consumer goods through Israeli shipping company, ZIM, and others, which they have welcomed into their ports. Erdogan must put his heart where his mouth is and take real, effective, action to sanction Israel for starving Palestinians and for committing acts of genocide against them.”
Nadia, a volunteer with the UN Mission Outreach Project, said today: “We are inspired and deeply grateful to the brave Turkish activists who are protesting the Turkish government’s trade activities with Israel and who were assaulted by police for trying to stop a shipment to Israel. Turkiye’s ongoing trade with Israel is supporting their military operations and enabling the genocide Israel is committing in Gaza, the West Bank, and Lebanon as well as the increasing aggressions against Syria. We are rallying in solidarity with the Turkish citizens pressuring their government to act in accordance with international law.” Nadia only uses her first name because of threats she has received.
Jennifer Koonings, an American nurse practitioner who has organized a hunger strike outside the UN said today: “Institutions that proclaim to care about human rights have given us nothing aside from empty proclamations and platitudes. Conditions in Gaza are worse than they ever were and we have watched this American genocide for over a year. Healthcare workers have an even greater responsibility to demand an end to the slaughter and that’s why I joined the call for a global hunger strike.”
Contact: Jereski at mutualaid10@gmail.com and Koonings at jenniferkoonings@gmail.com.