Hasan Bitmez dies at a hospital in Ankara two days after coronary heart assault throughout anti-Israel speech.
A Turkish opposition legislator who suffered a coronary heart assault and collapsed in parliament throughout a speech railing towards the federal government’s coverage in direction of Israel has died.
Well being Minister Fahrettin Koca stated on Thursday that Hasan Bitmez, a 54-year-old member of the Islamist Saadet Partisi, or Felicity Celebration, had died in an Ankara hospital two days after the incident.
“You allow ships to go to Israel, and you shamelessly call it trade. … You are Israel’s accomplice,” Bitmez stated in his speech concentrating on President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s Justice and Growth Celebration (AK Celebration) on Tuesday after putting a poster on the rostrum studying: “Murderer Israel; collaborator AKP.”
“Even if you escape the torment of history, you will not be able to escape the wrath of God,” he stated on the finish of the 20-minute speech earlier than collapsing on the lectern.
Different members of the Grand Nationwide Meeting rushed ahead to assist, and Koca stated on Tuesday that Bitmez had been “resuscitated in parliament and transferred within 20 minutes to hospital” the place medical gear had stored him alive.
The opposition determine, who was married and a father of 1, graduated from Cairo’s Al-Azhar College, labored for Islamic nongovernmental teams and was chairman of the Centre for Islamic Union Analysis.
His speech accused the federal government of continuous pleasant financial relations with Israel throughout its assault on Gaza, which has killed practically 19,000 Palestinians. His remarks drew jeers from AK Celebration members.
Whereas Erdogan has labored to enhance ties with Israel after a interval of frosty relations, he has additionally railed towards the present warfare between Israel and the Palestinian armed group Hamas, calling Israel a “terror state” and pushing for a ceasefire.
In a small ceremony on Thursday on the grounds of the Grand Nationwide Meeting, Bitmez’s coffin was draped with a Turkish flag, and a small Palestinian flag was hooked up as properly.