Ali Kemal Akan
16 April 2026•Update: 16 April 2026
- 'UN has become an international institution directed in line with the wishes of those who hold power'
Turkish Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmus on Wednesday called for the suspension of Israel from the United Nations, criticizing its move to introduce a death penalty bill for Palestinian prisoners and citing international action against apartheid-era South Africa as a precedent.
Speaking at the 152nd General Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Istanbul, Kurtulmus said the international system had previously acted against apartheid, recalling the suspension of South Africa’s UN membership in 1974.
He argued that Israel is now applying similar practices against Palestinians, including plans to impose the death penalty in the West Bank, and questioned the legitimacy of rulings by military courts.
“Is it not apartheid to apply one law for Palestinians and another for Israelis in a single country?” he said.
Kurtulmus also criticized the UN, saying it has failed to stop recent conflicts and has become ineffective in preventing ongoing violence, particularly in Gaza.
“Unfortunately, the United Nations has become an international institution directed in line with the wishes of those who hold power,” he said.
He questioned which international mechanism could halt what he described as Israel’s continuing attacks since Oct. 7, which he said have reached the level of genocide.
Kurtulmus also questioned who could halt the expanding regional conflict, asking how a war he said began with US and Israeli attacks on Iran and has since spread across the region could be stopped.
He added that global governance is failing, saying, “Institutions still exist in the world, but they no longer perform any function; these institutions have collapsed.”
Highlighting regional developments, he noted that in the past three years many Middle Eastern countries have faced violations of their sovereignty, including Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, Yemen, Qatar, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, describing such actions as unacceptable.
Kurtulmus underlined that all states have equal sovereign rights, saying, “Ensuring this is a shared responsibility of the human family.”
He added that the international community must work to “revive hope, strengthen peace, and establish justice.”
On the sidelines of the event, Kurtulmus met with Khalid Al Maawali, Chairman of Oman’s Shura Council.
He expressed regret over the challenges Oman has faced amid the war following US and Israeli attacks on Iran, and thanked Oman for its earlier mediation efforts. He also called for resuming talks in Pakistan from where they left off and for turning the ceasefire into a lasting one.
Criticizing Israel’s actions in the region, he said Israel’s attack on Iran risks fueling lasting hostility between Gulf states and Iran.
He also underlined Türkiye’s aim to strengthen ties with “brotherly Oman” across all fields, and voiced satisfaction at hosting Al Maawali in Türkiye for the IPU General Assembly.
Kurtulmus noted that Türkiye is hosting the IPU General Assembly for the fourth time after 1934, 1951 and 1996, expressing satisfaction at hosting the meeting and thanking those involved in its organization.
He added that the session has seen one of the highest levels of participation in the IPU’s recent history, with around 155 countries represented in Istanbul.
*Writing by Fatma Zehra Solmaz
