Thousands of people gathered at Galata Bridge at the heart of Istanbul on Wednesday for a rally in support of Palestinians facing genocide at the hands of Israel.
Organized by the National Will Platform, which brings together some 400 civic society organizations, the demonstration was led by the Turkish Youth Foundation (TÜGVA). Authorities have closed major roads heading to the bridge ahead of the rally. Demonstrators took boats to ports near the bridge and others preferred walking. Groups gathered outside Istanbul’s iconic mosques near the bridge, from Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque to Sultanahmet (Blue Mosque) in the early hours of Wednesday, performing dawn prayers there. Waving Turkish and Palestinian flags, they marched to the venue as they carried banners reading “Stop The Genocide in Gaza” and “A Sun Is Rising” in reference to the motto of the rally. Along with slogans, they chanted “Allahu akbar” (God is great) as they reached the venue. Some demonstrators sprayed “Free Palestine” graffiti on the venue.
Among the participants of the meeting were Youth and Sports Minister Osman Aşkın Bak, Industry and Technology Minister Mehmet Fatih Kacır and Trade Minister Ömer Bolat. Other prominent names among participants were former Parliament Speaker Mustafa Şentop, Free Cause Party (HÜDA-PAR) leader Zekeriya Yapıcıoğlu and ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) central executive committee member Mahir Ünal.
Bilal Erdoğan, son of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan who serves as chairperson of the Ilim Yayma Foundation and a member of TÜGVA’s High Advisory Board, joined TÜGVA Chair Ibrahim Beşinci and Women and Democracy Foundation (KADEM) head Saliha Okur Gümrükçüoğlu. Ali Yalçın and Mahmut Arslan, leaders of Türkiye’s two major labor unions, lawmakers and mayors were among thousands joining the rally.
At the venue, organizers set up giant screens and loudspeakers against the backdrop of a stage adorned with the slogan “For a Fair Future.”
Addressing the fervent crowd, Erdoğan said Türkiye “did not sleep on this morning where the world is sleeping.” “Muslims are awake. We are alive, we are standing up. We are excited, we are together. We are here with our anger, protest, slogans and prayers. Gaza is not alone, Palestine is not alone, Syria is not alone,” Erdoğan said.
In his speech, Erdoğan remembered the martyrs of Palestine including late Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and Yahya Sinwar. “We are here for solidarity with Palestine and to condemn genocide in Gaza,” Erdoğan said. Referring to one of the slogans in the rally, Erdoğan said Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque – which was reverted back to its mosque status in 2020 – was open and the Umayyad Mosque in Syria’s Damascus was liberated. “Now we are here for (liberation) of Al-Aqsa Mosque, for Jerusalem,” he said.
Erdoğan pledged that Türkiye will always stand with Palestine. He reiterated that more than 50,000 people, mostly women and children, were killed as of the 453rd day of the genocide and Israel massacred infants, children, women, the elderly, doctors, journalists and charity workers in Gaza, adding that they also targeted schools, mosques and churches.
He criticized countries’ complicity in Israel’s crimes against humanity by supplying Israel with weapons and funds or giving political support. “Humanity died in Gaza along with innocent civilians,” he said. “Western values, human rights, children’s rights, women’s rights died in Gaza. But we know that Allah’s promise to the oppressed will be a reality just as it became in Syria. As Hagia Sophia is freed from its chains, as the Umayyad Mosque was saved from a dictator with bloody hands, the sun of justice and freedom will rise above Palestine, above Al-Aqsa,” he said. “Muslims in Syria exhibited patience and achieved victory. Gaza, Allah willing, will be victorious against the siege. We will stand with the oppressed Gazans until that day, through our prayers, through these rallies, through boycotts,” Erdoğan said.
The first major Istanbul rally against Israeli genocide targeting Palestinians was held on Oct. 28, 2023, with the participation of President Erdoğan and drew more than 1 million people. Since then, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) held regular rallies across the city as well as elsewhere in the country.
Türkiye has been a traditional ally to Palestine but as the Israeli attacks became more brutal, the harsher Ankara has made its criticism in the past year. It has condemned what it calls genocide, halted all trade with Israel and applied to join a genocide case against Israel at the World Court, which Israel rejects. In addition to delivering humanitarian aid, Türkiye has sought to rally international organizations, including the United Nations, NATO and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to restrain Israel.
Esra Albayrak, sister of Bilal Erdoğan and a board member of the Youth and Education Service Foundation of Türkiye (TÜRGEV) was among those marching on the Galata Bridge. “This is the least we can do,” she told broadcaster A Haber. “I felt obliged to be here on New Year’s Day. We have to raise our voice, to show that we are with our Palestinian sisters and brothers. I am proud to be here,” she said. Veteran journalist Sadık Albayrak who was among the demonstrators told A Haber that the Islamic world was in a phase of awakening. “The Republic of Türkiye pioneers it and we are proud. About a century ago around here were occupying forces but now you see Turkish and Palestinian flags waving together,” he said, referring to the post-World War I invasion of the capital of the Ottoman Empire by the Allies that the Turks eventually fought and beat in the Turkish War of Independence sending the invaders back. “This is the resurrection. These new generations here will struggle more, will fight more for (this resurrection),” he said.
Hümeyra Topçu, a demonstrator, told Anadolu Agency (AA) that they witnessed an enthusiastic crowd in Galata. “We hope there will be more rallies where we can raise our voice,” she said. Salih Baydar, another demonstrator, said they hoped to hold the next rally in Jerusalem. Abdulai Embalo, a young man from Guinea-Bissau who studies in Türkiye, is among those joining the rally. “I am here to say stop to those who oppressed Muslims. It is time to say no. Muslims should be united and stop this cruelty,” he told AA.