Bitmez gave a speech before parliament criticizing the government’s policy towards Israel. At the end of the speech he collapses.
In the speech, he criticized President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling AK Party (AKP) for Turkey’s continued trade with Israel, despite the war in Gaza and the government’s harsh rhetorical criticism of Israeli military bombing.
“You allow ships to go to Israel and shamelessly call it trade. You are an accomplice of Israel,” Bitmez said. During the speech he had placed a sign on the podium reading “Killer Israel, collaborator of the AKP”.
“You have Palestinian blood on your hands, you are collaborators. You contribute to every bomb Israel drops on Gaza,” he said.
After finishing his speech, Bitmez suddenly fell to the ground and other MPs rushed to his aid from their seats.
Health Minister Fahrettin Koca later said that the two main veins of his heart were completely blocked.
“His heart stopped beating, then he was resuscitated in parliament and taken to hospital within 20 minutes,” Koca said on Tuesday.
A graduate of Al Azhar University in Cairo, Bitmez was president of the Islamic League Research Center. Previously he had worked in Islamic NGOs.
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2023-12-14 15:23:23
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