Erdogan to Scholz: Those who owe something to Israel cannot speak freely, we have no problem called the Holocaust

(Patria) - If Turkey and Germany together achieve a humanitarian ceasefire in the ongoing Israeli war in Gaza, the region can be saved from the ring of fire, said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at a joint press conference held in Berlin with Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

Erdogan said that 13,000 Palestinians – including children, women and the elderly – have been killed so far in the war and that almost all of Gaza has been destroyed due to the Israeli attack on the besieged enclave.

"Does Israel currently have nuclear weapons? Yes, but if you ask Israel, they will not admit it because they are very good at using lies," said the Turkish leader.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that every effort should be made to reduce the number of civilian casualties in Gaza.

Scholz said they have disagreements with Turkey over the Israeli military offensive, but would like to continue the dialogue.

"We will talk about how we can prevent further escalation in the region, we share concerns about the fire in the Middle East," Scholz said, adding that, although Germany defends Israel's right to self-defense, it is not indifferent to the suffering of Palestinians.

“Everything must be done to reduce the number of civilian casualties,” he emphasized.

Earlier, Erdogan criticized Western governments for providing comprehensive support to the Israeli government, but turning a blind eye to the "war crimes" committed in Gaza.

“Those who owe something to Israel cannot speak freely. We have no problem called the Holocaust,” Erdogan said during the press conference.

Erdogan also held a meeting with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, with whom he discussed relations between the two countries, the large Turkish community in Germany, cooperation in the field of economy, as well as the fight against terrorism.