Erdogan shares grief with all poor, oppressed in world

ISTANBUL, TURKEY - JUNE 11: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks at a program hosted by Istanbul’s Esenler municipality on June 11, 2018 to mark Laylat al-Qadr (the night of power), which marks the first revelation of the Quran to the Prophet Muhammad. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday said Turkey is with “all those who are ill-treated, left alone, exiled in the region”. “We share the troubles of all the wretched, the oppressed in the world,” Erdogan said. “Every day in Palestine, innocent children, women, men, handicapped, nurses helping wounded are being massacred. The cruel Israeli government, the Zionist Israeli administration, does not allow the Palestinians to breathe,” he said. Erdogan also said that Syrians are living in constant fear of having bombs rained on them as terrorists still linger in Syria. “The pressure toward Muslims are increasing everywhere -- from the Middle East to North Africa, from South Asia to Europe -- day-by-day,” he added. Following a government decision the shut down seven mosques in Austria, Erdogan called on the Austrian Prime Minister to reason. “Look, you are still young, you need much more experience. Do not forget this; these attitudes may bring trouble upon you,” he said. Erdogan said, “Because, you should know, a mosque being closed in Austria, Muslims and men of religion being kicked out of Austria would start another crusader-crescent war and you would be responsible for it.” Erdogan emphasized that there is no difference in terms of mindset between displacing Rohingya Muslims and at shutting down mosques in the middle of Europe. (Footage by Mustafa Sagiroglu/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)