The Truth That Insults Cannot Obscure
· Halil ETYEMEZ
The United Nations rostrum reveals not only what states say to each other but also what they promise humanity. The language used on that rostrum demonstrates how a government understands power, where it draws the line with law, and what value it places on human life. Netanyahu's remarks directed at our President, Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and Turkey should be viewed from this perspective.
The United Nations rostrum reveals not only what states say to each other but also what they promise humanity. The language used on that rostrum demonstrates how a government understands power, where it draws the line with law, and what value it places on human life. Netanyahu's remarks directed at our President, Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and Turkey should be viewed from this perspective.
I strongly reject these remarks. However, addressing the issue solely through diplomatic discourtesy narrows the debate. Turkey's responsibility is to provide the necessary response to the insult while ensuring the world's attention is not diverted from the primary responsibility: Who will be held accountable for what is happening in Gaza, and how will the rights of the Palestinian people be protected?
Netanyahu's targeting of Turkey cannot invalidate these questions. Questioning a country's policies in other areas does not absolve it of the obligation to answer for its own actions. What must be presented to the conscience of humanity, before mutual accusations, is the reality of the people killed, the homes destroyed, and the children whose futures have been taken away.
My experience, spanning from teaching to union leadership, public administration, and parliamentary work, has shown me the importance of this principle: As authority grows, so does the responsibility to be accountable. When a position becomes a tool to shield oneself from responsibility, the sense of justice is damaged. This principle applies in a school, a ministry, and the international order. As states' military capacity increases, their obligation to adhere to the law does not diminish.
The principle we must defend today is clear: No state can build its security on the perpetual insecurity of another people. There can be no hierarchy between the right of an Israeli child to live in safety and the same right of a Palestinian child. One's fear cannot legitimize the other's death. Lasting peace requires that everyone's life be protected with the same moral and legal value.
Therefore, we also object to attempts to suppress criticism of the Israeli government's policies by accusing it of antisemitism. Standing against anti-Semitism and defending the rights of the Palestinian people are requirements of the same moral consistency. Just as we refuse to equate a people with the actions of their government, we cannot hide a government behind the identity of that people.
Turkey's voice will gain strength through this consistency. While supporting our President's objection regarding Palestine, we must also work to ensure this objection yields lasting results. Alongside diplomatic responses, we must advocate for the continuity of humanitarian aid, the documentation of violations, accountability, and international cooperation that strengthens Palestinian sovereignty. The value of condemnation is measured by the will that follows.
As an educator, I also consider the future of this issue. If we accept a world order where the powerful are not held accountable as we teach justice to children, our education loses its credibility. The destruction of a school in Gaza is not just the loss of a building; it is the severing of a child's connection to the future. The witnessing of this by children elsewhere in the world erodes their trust in humanity. The price of today's silence will also be paid in the sense of justice of future generations.
Therefore, our words must be clear, our principles common, and our will continuous. We will unconditionally defend the protection of civilians. We will demand the equal application of law for everyone. We will keep the right of the Palestinian people to determine their own future on the agenda. Without collectively blaming any people, we will demand accountability from those responsible.
Turkey's response to Netanyahu's insults should be a stronger expression of this resolve. Because the principle we defend concerns the common future of nations: No child's life can be a subject of bargaining, no people's freedom can be at another's mercy, and no state's power can be a justification for impunity.
May you forgive me.
May you be entrusted to God.