President Erdogan: Those who say "What do we care about Palestine, Gaza, and Jerusalem?" do not know the history of this nation.

In his speech at the diploma and flag handover ceremony at the National Defense University Army War College, President Erdogan emphasized the importance of Palestine, saying, "How can we turn our backs on Jerusalem? Who can separate Istanbul from Al-Aqsa Mosque, or Gaza from Gaziantep? Whoever says anything about Jerusalem does not know the history of this nation. Who can build a wall between us and our brothers who died side by side?"

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan attended the diploma and flag handover ceremony at the National Defense University Army War College. In his remarks at the ceremony, President Erdogan underlined that Turkey will not turn its back on Palestine.

ERDOGAN: IT IS AS DIFFICULT TO PRESERVE ANATOLIA AS IT IS TO MAKE IT HOMELAND

President Erdogan said, "Turkey is a bridge geographically and a center culturally. Living with dignity in such a geography is not for the faint-hearted. The slightest weakness exposes our nation to great threats. If we buried terrorists in Gabar and Besler, we will continue to bury them with the same decision and faith. Preserving Anatolia is as difficult as making it homeland. This place does not tolerate laziness or indifference. Whoever tries to confine Turkey's horizon to 782 thousand square kilometers is a stranger to these lands if they are not ignorant of it."

"HOW CAN WE TURN OUR BACKS ON JERUSALEM"

We beat as one heart with our brothers in Azerbaijan and Turkic states. How can we turn our backs on Jerusalem? Who can separate Istanbul from Al-Aqsa Mosque, or Gaza from Gaziantep? Whoever says anything about Jerusalem does not know the history of this nation.

Who can build a wall between us and our brothers who died side by side? How can we close our eyes to the Palestinian lands that Mustafa Kemal Ataturk fought not to let the enemy touch? Why was Ataturk in Benghazi, why did he go there, why did he fight? This was the step of this spirit with the love of this homeland.

We are adding new wrists made of steel to the ranks of our heroic army. A total of 989 students are graduating. I congratulate our lieutenants who join the ranks of our army by receiving their diplomas and kiss their foreheads one by one. I also congratulate our teachers and commanders who raised our graduates. The success graph of our schools, which we restructured after July 15, is constantly rising. In this period, 9,909 of our brothers graduated from the Army War College. We survived the disaster that could happen to a state's head like the betrayal of July 15 with the least damage. We quickly compensated for the damage. We eliminated the deficiencies in terms of personnel, education, facilities, and capabilities.

"WE PUT AN END TO TROUBLESOME SITUATIONS THAT BURDEN OUR ARMY"

We put an end to troublesome situations that burden our army with the reforms we have implemented. With the new education system, we have a Turkish Armed Forces that is loyal to the national will and serves only its people. We see in the field the strength that these steps give to our army, not weakening it. From Syria to Libya, our army fulfills its duty with honor. The discomfort of the remnants of old Turkey is increasing along with the success graph. We will not allow this. We will continue to disturb them.

Throughout our history, the state commander and the nation have been soldiers. Every Turk is born a soldier... This saying is matched with the struggle for existence carried out by our nation on these lands. Military service has been seen as a duty for religion, state, and homeland, rather than just a profession. This understanding prevails in the codes of the Turkish Armed Forces, which are the people themselves. The Turkish Armed Forces, which is our own, is the guarantee of our independence, indivisible integrity, and national unity."