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Erdogan urges Middle Eastern countries to support Lebanon amid tensions with Israel

"The Islamic world and brothers in the Middle East should prevent these bloody plans and stay a step ahead of the West," the Turkish leader stressed

ANKARA, June 26. /TASS/. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called on the countries of the region to support Lebanon amid its impending conflict with Israel.

"The plans of [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu to spread the conflict to our region, an idea the West supports, will be a great catastrophe. The Islamic world and brothers in the Middle East should prevent these bloody plans and stay a step ahead of the West. However, we watch with regret as the Islamic world acts as if it has been covered with the ashes of the dead. We can not allow this. Turkey supports its brotherly Lebanese people, as well as its government. I urge other countries of the region to stand in solidarity with Lebanon," Erdogan said, addressing the ruling party faction in the parliament.

The Turkish leader added that "no one should expect Turkey to heel to the Zionists." "Seems like Israel, which has already destroyed the Gaza Strip, is now targeting Lebanon. We can see that Western powers support it on this issue. It is very disappointing, very hard, to see how countries that espouse freedom, human rights and justice, become slaves to such a lunatic as Netanyahu," Erdogan continued.

In mid-June, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) approved plans for offensive operations in Lebanon. In the wake of its operation targeting the Palestinian radical Hamas movement, the country’s government is now setting its sights on the Lebanon-based Shiite party Hezbollah. Just as Hamas, it opposes Israel, striking its territory from the northern border on a regular basis.

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Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan

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