Erdoğan slams Israel’s move on 1915 events

ANKARA

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has rejected Israel’s decision concerning the 1915 events, accusing the Israeli government of trying to use history for political purposes amid the war in Gaza.

Speaking after a cabinet meeting at the presidential complex, Erdoğan said Türkiye did not take Israel’s accusations seriously.

“We do not take the slanders of a murder network, whose hands are stained with the blood of 73,000 innocent Gazans, most of them children and women, against our country even slightly seriously,” Erdoğan said.

“There is no oppression, massacre, colonialism or genocide in our history. There is mercy in our glorious history,” he added.

Israel’s cabinet on June 28 approved a proposal to formally recognize the 1915 events as genocide. The proposal is expected to require parliamentary approval.

In wide-ranging remarks after the cabinet meeting, Erdoğan also highlighted Türkiye’s space, transport, defense industry and economic projects.

He said Türkiye had put its first domestically produced communications satellite, TÜRKSAT 6A, into service last year, raising the number of its communications satellites to six and its total number of satellites to 10.

“Those who have a trace in space will have a say on earth,” Erdoğan said, adding that satellite technologies had become a strategic necessity for Türkiye.

On transport, Erdoğan said ongoing rail system projects in Istanbul would raise the total length of lines built by the government in the city to 191 kilometers once completed.

Turning to the defense industry, Erdoğan said Türkiye had become the world’s 11th largest defense exporter and had exported more than 140 naval platforms.

He recalled that Türkiye recently exported a warship to a NATO and EU member country for the first time and said Ankara had raised its bilateral trade target with Poland from $10 billion to $15 billion.

Erdoğan also said Türkiye had supported the maintenance and repair of 695 cemevis with 800 million Turkish Liras over the past three years and planned to provide maintenance, repair and furnishing services to 500 more by the end of the year.

On the economy, Erdoğan said Türkiye’s goods and services exports reached $395.9 billion in 2025, setting a record in the history of the republic.

He said the rediscount credit limit for exporters, previously raised to 4.5 billion liras, had been increased to 5 billion liras.

Erdoğan also said Türkiye had sent two military transport aircraft to Venezuela after two major earthquakes, adding that 75 Turkish personnel and six search and rescue dogs had reached the disaster zone and begun work.