by Hajer M'tiri and Baris Saglam
ANKARA
"Turkey is troubled by the powers that want to repel the awakening in Egypt, Tunisia, Syria and Libya," says leader of the 'Islamic Movement in 48 Palestine' Raed Salah amid the Istanbul-based anti-graft operation aimed at the Turkish government.
External powers which cannot tolerate Turkey having one of the world's strongest economies, a solid political will and an agenda connected to the Muslim world, want to stir up trouble in the country, Salah said in an interview with AA in Turkish capital Ankara.
"Turkey is punished since it tries to solve the problems of the oppressed communities around the world and to remedy their troubles," asserted Salah.
The Istanbul-based operation launched on December 17 has seen the arrests of dozens of high-profile bureaucrats, politicians and businessmen, including the sons of two former cabinet ministers, with allegations of fraud and corruption.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has portrayed the operation as a smear and slander campaign, saying, "the national income would not have increased from $236 billion to $800 billion if there were corruption."
Many Muslim communities around the world have declared their support for Erdogan and his government against the allegations. The Muslim community in Montenegro devoted a Friday sermon to the Turkish government, while President of the International Union of Islamic Scholars, an influential Qatar-based Islamic foundation, Yusuf Al-Qaradawi has called on "the Turkish people to unite around these great achievements (by the AK Party), protect them and to never forsake them."
Meanwhile, Western powers like the EU have mainly "urged Turkey to take all the necessary measures to ensure that allegations of wrongdoing are addressed without discrimination or preference in a transparent and impartial manner.”
Middle East peace process
Regarding ongoing peace talks between Palestine and Israel, Salah said Palestinians do not believe that US efforts towards the peace process are sincere. US Secretary of State John Kerry is set to return to the region this week for recharging peace talks.
"Kerry called the Jewish settlements illegitimate but the US keeps on funding Israel as it still builds settlements with some US financial aid," added Salah. "We are well aware of US intentions and we do not trust the US."
Noting that Israeli has "sped up efforts to turn Al-Aqsa Mosque into a Jewish temple," Salah called on the Muslim world "to be aware of the danger to al-Aqsa and to unite for halting the process."
Al-Aqsa Mosque, Islam's third holiest site and located in the heart of Jerusalem, has recently become the target of repeated violations by Jewish settlers and an excavation site as Israelis claim to be digging for an ancient Jewish temple, distressing many Palestinian Muslims. The Knesset, Israel's parliament, had earlier called for opening the mosque compound, which is holy for the Muslims, to Jews for all Jewish holidays, a move that is feared to have the potential to cause another "Intifada."
Jews refer to Al-Aqsa as the "Temple Mount," claiming the area had been the site of two Jewish temples in ancient times.
englishnews@aa.com.tr
