Yunus Emre Enstitüsü President Prof. Dr. Şeref Ateş met with prominent scholars of the city and representatives of non-governmental organizations in Jerusalem.

Yunus Emre Enstitüsü President Prof. Dr. Şeref Ateş said, "When the armed terrorists threw bombs on the people on July 15^th, God whispered a prayer to the hearts of people and they were strong because they had faith. Here in Palestine you have been experiencing this for maybe 50-100 years but Palestinians will be victorious because they have faith.”

President of Yunus Emre Enstitüsü Şeref Ateş visited Palestine, and met with prominent scholars of the city and representatives of non-governmental organizations.

Speaking at the meeting at Jerusalem Yunus Emre Institute attended by Jerusalem High Islamic Delegation President and Imam of Al-Aqsa Mosque Sheikh İkrime Sabri and Islamic Information and Culture Studies Chairman Naci Bekirat, Ateş said that they will be glad if Palestinians develop projects related to Turkey and they will support these projects.

Ateş marking that Turkey has come a long way in the last ten years, expressed the following: "This development did not only take place in military and economic areas, but Turkey also made peace with its history and culture."

“God whispered a prayer to the hearts of people”

Referring to the coup attempt by the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), Ateş said, "When the armed terrorists threw bombs on the people on July 15^th, God whispered a prayer to the hearts of people and they were strong because they had faith. Here in Palestine you have been experiencing this for maybe 50-100 years but Palestinians will be victorious because they have faith.”

Emphasizing that in the modern world victory is not achieved only with political and military actions, Ateş noted that the a phenomenon called soft power has come to the forefront.

"Yunus Emre Enstitüsü was established to fill this gap"

Ateş stated that Turkey has been operating in this field with institutions such as the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA), Presidency of Religious Affairs and Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities, and continued as follows:

"Yunus Emre Enstitüsü was founded by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in 2009 to fill a considerable gap in this field. The aim is to share our positive values primarily with our Muslim brothers and sisters, and with the entire humanity as in Turkish culture. Turkish people have reached those in need although national income is at medium level. The latest example to this is 3.5 million Syrians who came to Turkey. Turkey has done everything within its power and shared with Muslim brothers and sisters without advertising and did not feel the need to advertise. As Yunus Emre Enstitüsü we establish centres in different countries under leadership of a director and his assistant. Their task is to develop projects related to Turkey. I hope that in this sense, you will implement projects in connection with the centre. We will appreciate and support these. This way future generations will grow up together and hold the same ideas.”

"We did not allow FETÖ to establish schools in Jerusalem"

At the meeting, Director of Islamic Information and Culture Studies Naci Bekirat made a speech reminding that Western countries as England, France and Germany opened schools in Jerusalem and said, "Unfortunately, most of our children still study in these non-Muslim schools. Turkey's biggest fault was not opening schools here. Now we request from you to open schools here and for our children to grow up in your schools.”

Mentioning FETÖ's attempts to carry out operations in Jerusalem, Bekirat said, "The coup supporters that are FETO members wanted to open a school in Jerusalem, but we did not allow it. Thank God that after the coup attempt, they fled. I do not know to where, but they escapes."

"Erdoğan's policies have gained favour in the Islamic world"

Chairman of the Jerusalem High Islamic Delegation and Al-Aqsa Mosque Imam Sheikh İkrime Sabri argued that  EU would never accept Turkey as a Muslim country, and noted that Turkey should  unite with the Islamic world instead.

Sheikh Sabri said, "Because Muslims' unity strengthens Muslims. In this respect, Erdoğan's policies have gained favour in the Islamic world. The most significant outcome of the World War I was the division of Muslims. The English divided us. We must fix this. We must unite, Turks, Arabs, Persians, Kurds. We are very pleased with your visit, and I hope that your visits will contribute to this."

Yunus Emre Enstitüsü President Ateş is expected to visit Jerusalem University as part of contacts and sign an agreement for inauguration of a Turcology department.