Erdogan Accuses Israel of Ecocide in Gaza; Jerusalem Denounces 'Lies'
Translated & summarized from i24NEWS French by baba
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused Israel of "ecocide" in Gaza at the COP31 climate summit, citing environmental damage and destruction. Israel's Foreign Ministry strongly denied the claims, calling them a "campaign of lies" and blaming Hamas for the conflict and destruction. The accusations come as Israel was not invited to the international climate conference.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused Israel of "ecocide" in Gaza at the COP31 climate summit.
- Erdogan cited environmental damage, including destroyed olive trees and polluted water, as evidence.
- Israel's Foreign Ministry rejected the accusations as a "campaign of lies" from "dictator Erdogan".
- Israel blamed Hamas for the conflict and destruction, noting its leaders are hosted in Turkey.
- Israel was not invited to participate in the international climate conference.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused Israel of committing "ecocide" in Gaza during a speech at the COP31 climate summit in Antalya, Turkey, on Wednesday. He alleged that Israel's military operations have caused an environmental catastrophe, citing the destruction of ancient olive trees, soil and water pollution, and vast amounts of rubble from the fighting. Erdogan also pointed to recent heavy rains that flooded tens of thousands of tents and shelters due to damaged infrastructure.
Israel's Foreign Ministry vehemently rejected the accusations, calling them a "campaign of lies" and an attempt to exploit an international platform. The ministry stated that "dictator Erdogan" was using the summit to spread falsehoods against Israel. Israel also reiterated its rejection of genocide accusations and blamed Hamas for the conflict's outbreak and destruction in Gaza. The ministry noted that Hamas, whose leaders are hosted in Turkey, initiated the war on October 7, 2023, and embedded its military infrastructure within civilian areas.
Israel was not invited to participate in the climate conference. The Israeli Foreign Ministry suggested that those concerned about Gaza should demand Hamas disarm to enable reconstruction.
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