The Youth Union of Türkiye (TGB) held a press statement in front of the Israeli Ambassador’s Residence in Ankara, three days before the general elections scheduled for 27 October in Israel. TGB Chairman Mirza Çelik declared: “We already know the election result: Netanyahu will lose and stand trial.”
The Youth Union of Türkiye (TGB) gathered in front of the Israeli Ambassador’s Residence in Ankara on Saturday, 24 October, three days before Israel’s general elections scheduled for 27 October. At the demonstration, where the flags of Yemen, Iran and Palestine flew alongside Turkish flags, young people declared that they placed no faith in “the ballot box of genocidal perpetrators”.
In his statement, TGB Chairman Mirza Çelik described Israel as “the greatest enemy of the oppressed, the cruellest of oppressors and a murderer of children”. Emphasizing that they did not need to wait for the elections to take place to know the result, Çelik said: “We are not waiting for the elections to be held to know the result. Because we have absolutely no faith whatsoever in the democracy of murderers and perpetrators of genocide.”
‘THOSE WHO PROSPER THROUGH OPPRESSION WILL MEET A DISASTROUS END’
Explaining how they already knew the outcome through examples from history, Çelik continued his speech with the words of Yunus Emre: “Those who prosper through oppression will meet a disastrous end.”
Çelik listed the fates of figures he described as oppressors throughout history:
- The Pharaoh drowned in the Red Sea.
- Nimrod died in torment.
- Abraha perished beneath a hail of stones.
- Hitler took his own life in agony.
- King Leopold II, who declared the Congo his personal property, was booed by his own people at his funeral.
Çelik then declared: “Oppressor Netanyahu, you too have prospered through oppression. You too are destined to meet the same tragic end as all the other oppressors.”
Çelik stated that just as the Pharaoh drowned in the Red Sea, Israel was now meeting its end in the Red Sea. He said that Yemen was drowning Israel in the Red Sea, Iran was doing the same in the Strait of Hormuz, and Palestine had turned Gaza into “a hell for Zionist Israel”.
THE BRAVE WHO MAKE THE WORLD UNBEARABLE FOR OPPRESSORS’
“In the history of the world, oppressors have been no more than a handful, but no one has enough breath to count the brave who have made the world unbearable for them,” Çelik said. Addressing Israel with the words, “Oppressor Netanyahu, let us show you the brave men who have brought about your downfall,” he commemorated those who had fought against Israel:
- Abu Ubaida, who never abandoned his land and “fought like a lion”.
- Yemeni Chief of General Staff Ghamari, who “drowned you in the Red Sea”.
- Hassan Nasrallah, “the Lion of Lebanon, who spent his life fighting Israel”.
- Ali Khamenei, who “rushed towards martyrdom, feared no oppression from the oppressor and rained down upon the oppressor like bombs”.
- Yahya Sinwar, the “great hero” who launched Operation Al-Aqsa Flood.
- Ismail Haniyeh, “a hero of oppressed peoples, a monument of courage whom we will always take as an example”.
Çelik declared: “These great heroes have defeated Israel. Set up whatever ballot boxes you wish, hold whatever votes you wish. O Israel, you have lost. Your big brother, your patron, your leader, the United States, has also lost.”
‘THE PALESTINIANS HAVE WON’
Stating that Israel had spent years attempting to drive Palestinians from their lands, Çelik addressed Israel in the following words: “Despite all your immorality, all the shameless attacks you have carried out, and your blindness to the point of murdering children, you have lost. The Palestinians have won. From this point onwards, it is impossible for Israel to survive through Zionist policies.”
Çelik stated that attitudes towards Israel had changed throughout the region, declaring: “There is not a single nation left in this region that will tolerate genocidal, oppressive Israel.”
‘ISRAEL, KNOW YOUR LIMITS!’
Directly addressing Israel in his speech, Çelik said: “We call out from here: Israel, know your limits! The more you attempt to cross your borders and extend beyond them, the more you will drown.” Stating that Zionism and Netanyahu had also “destroyed” Israel itself, Çelik continued: “Now Netanyahu, just like Zionism, will be consigned to the dustbin of history. An Israel that covets Palestine cannot survive.”
Çelik then recited the poem We Shall Not Leave by Palestinian resistance poet Tawfiq Zayyad. The poem expresses the determination of Palestinians to remain on their land, protect the shade of their olive and fig trees, squeeze stones if they are thirsty and sustain themselves on mud if they are hungry, but never abandon their homeland. Following the poem, Çelik declared: “The Palestinians have not abandoned their land, and they never will. But you will get out, and you will stand trial.”
During the demonstration, a peace symbol was placed inside the emblem on the Israeli flag, emphasising that Israel could only find a place in the region in this way.
NETANYAHU’S ‘CRIMINAL RECORD’
Following Çelik’s declaration that “you will stand trial”, one of the most striking moments of the demonstration took place. A long sheet of paper listing the crimes attributed to Israel was unfurled towards the ground. The “criminal record”, extending downwards in front of the residence, created a striking visual scene.
Announcing, “We are opening oppressor Netanyahu’s criminal record: For which crimes will Netanyahu stand trial?”, Çelik read out the accusations one by one. Each accusation was accompanied by the declaration “you will stand trial”:
- For killing more than 74,000 civilians;
- For leaving more than 175,000 people injured;
- For killing at least 22,000 children;
- For completely destroying more than 134,000 buildings;
- For damaging more than 201,000 buildings;
- For bombing 36 hospitals;
- For damaging or destroying 98 per cent of schools in Gaza;
- For destroying more than 1,000 mosques and damaging hundreds of public institutions;
- For taking the lives of more than 1,700 healthcare workers;
- For killing more than 260 journalists and media workers;
- For causing 466 people to die of starvation;
- For killing 168 girls in Minab.
Declaring, “You will stand trial, Netanyahu,” Çelik added: “Yes, oppressor Netanyahu, the end of the road is now in sight for you.”
THE BALLOT BOX WAS OPENED
After reading out Israel’s criminal record, Çelik turned to the upcoming Israeli elections. Declaring, “Yes, oppressor Netanyahu, the end of the road is now in sight for you. Let us see what will come out of the ballot box you have set up to save yourselves,” Çelik opened a ballot box symbolising the Israeli elections. Instead of votes, he took out objects representing criminal prosecution and imprisonment: handcuffs, a prison uniform and a diary.
Çelik displayed these items one by one to members of the press and the cameras. The handcuffs and prison uniform conveyed the message that “Netanyahu’s place is not on an election platform, but in a courtroom and a prison.” The diary symbolised the days of imprisonment awaiting Netanyahu.
Çelik announced the election result with the following words: “There is only one outcome for you in these elections, Netanyahu: defeat and standing trial.”
BALLOONS RELEASED TOWARDS THE ISRAELI RESIDENCE
At the end of the demonstration, balloons bearing images of Netanyahu’s face marked with an “X” were released into the air towards the Israeli Ambassador’s Residence. The balloons rising into the sky marked the final scene of the demonstration.
İlyas Yılmaz
Deputy Chairman of the Youth Union of Türkiye (TGB)
MNA