Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey

Confederation of Turkey Civil Servants Trade Unions (Turkey KAMU-SEN) Foreign Affairs Secretary General Ahmet Demirci, HAK – Workers Union Confederation (HAK-İŞ) General President Mahmut Arslan, Confederation Of Public Servants Trade Unions (MEMUR-SEN) President Ali Yalçın, Confederation of Turkish Tradesmen and Craftsmen (TESK) General President Bendevi Palandöken, The Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, Turkey Union of Chambers of Agriculture (TZOB) President Şemsi Bayraktar, Confederation of Turkish Trade Unions (TÜRK-İŞ) General President Ergün Atalay and Confederation of Employer Associations of Turkey (TİSK) Board Member Erhan Polat have attended the meeting.

The joint press statement text is as follows;

“Representing civil society of Turkey; Member of Turkey-EU Joint Advisory Committee Turkey wing; we are here as HAK – Workers Union Confederation (HAK-İŞ), Confederation Of Public Servants Trade Unions (MEMUR-SEN), Confederation of Turkish Tradesmen and Craftsmen (TESK), Confederation of Turkish Trade Unions (TÜRK-İŞ), Confederation of Employer Associations of Turkey (TİSK), Confederation of Turkey Civil Servants Trade Unions (Turkey KAMU-SEN) The Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) and Turkey Union of Chambers of Agriculture (TZOB).

The decision by President of USA against the status of Kudus is an irresponsible misstep taken against the historical status of Kudus.

The first kiblah for Muslims Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa and Kudus is sacred and indispensable for 1.5 billion of Islam population.

Therefore this irresponsible step is a disrespectful attitude and a clear provocation against Islam world. This decision is major blow delivered to the resolution of Palestine question and Middle East peace process. We definitively decline this decision, consider it null and void.

This attitude which offends against obligatory resolutions by United Nations for status of Kudus is also a clear violation of international law and diplomacy.

Those who wants to take this step should be very well aware of that this decision does not provide any benefit for anybody. Kudus is not abandoned.

Kudus bearing footmarks of his holiness Muhammed, his holiness Jesus and his holiness Moses is the sacred city of all 3 monotheistic religions. With such identity it has been the symbol of coexistence for centuries and shared value of mankind. Therefore Kudus featuring not only regional but global equilibriums, is an extremely delicate matter which cannot tolerate any politics upon.

This decision by USD administration shall be set ground for destruction of universal identity of Kudus and being dominated.

For their own personal desires and political interest nobody has the right to toy with destiny of billions of people. When there are already international decisions concerning political status and future of Kudus, adopting these unlawful decisions is a betrayal to Kudus, is betrayal to ease and peace, and is a betrayal to humanity.

This decision is a very dangerous step which shall endanger global security, turn the scale for delicate balances and cause destabilisation, induce new conflicts and provocations within the region.

Therefore, not only Islam world but also Christian and Jewish communities should take up clear and joint position against this decision by protecting humanitarian values.

We fiercely condemn this decision which serves no purpose other than creating ground of conflict in Middle East and sacrificing the region blindly. 

We invite entire civil society and our international respondents who value humanitarian values, legal order and liberty to responsive to this matter. We great you all with respect”.