US dollars couldn’t buy the world’s will: Erdogan

Monitoring Desk

ANKARA: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday addressed the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBITAK) award ceremony at the Presidential Complex in Ankara.

Addressing the issue of Jerusalem, the president said that although U.S. President Donald Trump and his administration threatened the UN member states with cutting aid to those who voted against his decision to recognize Jerusalem as the Israeli capital at the UN General Assembly, their threats were ineffectual.

“Money, oil and weapons are not what we need most; it is believing that we can succeed. We see those who have oil and money. We are far more advanced than them. Oil does not get the job done; money does not get the job done.

“Were dollars able to solve the issue in the Jerusalem matter? Their dollars couldn’t buy the will of the world,” he said.

On Dec. 6, Trump announced his decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, sparking angry demonstrations in many Muslim countries and worldwide condemnation.

Trump’s decision was then rejected by the UN General Assembly with 128 votes condemning the move.

Jerusalem is sacred to both Muslims and Jews, as it includes sites known to Muslims as Haram al-Sharif (The Noble Sanctuary), al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the rock, as well as an ancient Jewish temple.

He addressed his tour of North Africa, which consisted of Chad, Tunisia and Sudan and concluded on Wednesday.

Erdogan said that he told Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir that if he allocates Suakin Island to Turkey for long years, Turkey will restore the entire island, and that a great number of tourists will flock there from Turkey.

Sudanese authorities agreed to hand over the port city Suakin temporarily to Turkey for restoration.