Erdogan reacts to Israel's recognition of so-called Armenian genocide

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan commented for the first time on the Israeli government's decision to approve a resolution recognizing the so-called "Armenian genocide."

"We completely reject the slander against our country by the criminal network with the blood of 75,000 innocent residents of Gaza, mainly children and women, on its hands," Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a televised address following a meeting of the country's Cabinet.

He recalled that in Turkey's history there is the fact of providing shelter to those who fled Nazi persecution: "There is no genocide, mass murder, oppression or colonialism in our history. In our thousand-year glorious history there is only justice and compassion. There is a tradition of extending a helping hand to all the oppressed, regardless of their religion, origin or identity. There is the virtue of protecting those who fled the Inquisition and Nazi persecution. There is the dignified stance of our heroic ancestors who said: 'I will renounce my throne, I will give up my crown, but I will not hand over those who have found refuge in my state.' Those who slander Turkey and the Turkish people to hide their crimes in Gaza know this best; all they need to do is look at their own history," he said.