Öz Sağlık İşçileri Sendikası
We held a protest in front of residence of the Zionist Israel Embassy in Ankara, capital city of Türkiye in the 20 May 2026 afternoon by chanting slogans such as Mr. Mahmut Arslan is not alone. Second consecutive protest aimed the United States government held in front of the US Embassy in the 21 May 2026 afternoon due to its ongoing political, economic and military support to the terorist state of Israel.
The HAK-İŞ community held a protest in front of the Zionist Israeli Embassy Residence against its unlawful detention of Mr. Mahmut Arslan, HAK-İŞ Confederation President and Mrs. Fatma Zengin, HAK-İŞ Confederation Deputy General Secretary, who were part of the global SUMUD Flotilla, by zionist Israel in international waters.
Mr. Devlet Sert, the Active President of HAK-İŞ Confederation together with Mr. Yunus Değirmenci, Mr. Mehmet Ali Kayabaşı and Mr. Halil Özdemir who are HAK-İŞ Confederation Vice-Presidents, Mr. Osman Nuri Kabaktepe that is (current) term chairman of the Support Platform for Palestine, Mrs. Eda Akbulut that the HAK-İŞ Confederation General Secretary, family members of Mr. Mahmut Arslan, presidents and executive board members of the HAK-İŞ sectorial affiliates (member unions), the branch and province chairpersons, the head office staff as well as union members/workers, and the press and media staff.
In addition, in the name of our union that is the Öz Sağlık-İş Health and Social Services Workers’ Trade Union, Mr. İsmail Öztürk, Mr. Emre Kocaman, Mr. Muhammet Esat Eyvaz and Mr. Fehmi Azboy, our union Executive Board Members and Vice-Presidents, as well as our unions’ branch chairpersons and board members; hundreds of our union members also participated into the protest meeting.
Mr. Sert strongly condemned the intervention carried out against the Global Sumud Flotilla in international waters, as well as the aggressive treatment of those including Mr. Mahmut Arslan and Mrs. Fatma Zenging on board the said flotilla, which had set out to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza in his speech.
The Great HAK-İŞ community which gathered in front of the zionist and barbar Israeli Embassy residence located in Ankara united in support of President Mahmut Arslan and Deputy General Secretary Fatma Zengin by chanting slogans such as “Free Palestine from the River to the Sea,” “Down with Israeli Tyranny,” “Mahmut Arslan is our honour,” “Mahmut Arslan is not alone,” “Fatma Zengin is not Alone,” “The People of Gaza are not alone,” “Killer Israel, Get Out of Palestine,” “Greetings to SUMUD, Continue the Resistance,” and “Zionist Israel will be held accountable”.
MR. SERT: ISRAELI ATTACK ON THE SUMUD FLOTILLA WAS ALSO AN ATTACK ON THE COMMON CONSCIENCE OF HUMANITY
Mr. Devlet Sert expressed, our Union President and the HAK-İŞ Acting President, that the zionist Israeli regime’s years of oppression and siege against the Palestinian people have now reached a point where it targets civilian initiatives carrying humanitarian aid in international waters in his statement made in front of the Israeli Embassy residence in Ankara in 20 May 2026 Wednesday afternoon.
Mr. Sert emphasized that Israeli attack on the global SUMUD Flotilla, which set out solely for humanitarian aid purposes, was a clear violation of law and a crime against humanity by underlining the fact that the murderous state of Israel, which has inflicted the greatest brutality on the Palestinian and Gazan people, has recently attacked the global Sumud flotilla, whose sole purpose was humanitarian aid to Gaza, and detained numerous humanitarian aid volunteers in international waters illegaly.
Mr. Sert noted that illegal detention of Mr. Mahmut Arslan, HAK-İŞ Confederation President, who has dedicated his life to the cause of Palestine and Jerusalem, and Mrs. Fatma Zengin, HAK-İŞ Confederation Deputy General Secretary and whom we have known for her mujahid stance, was absolutely was unacceptable.
Mr. Sert added that verbal and physical attacks against civilians once again clearly exposed the Israeli administration’s lawless conduct and its disregard for human dignity and universal humanitarian values.
MR. SERT: THIS IS A JOURNEY OF CONSCIENCE
Mr. Devlet Sert stated that Mahmut Arslan’s participation in the global SUMUD Flotilla is not only a trade union responsibility but also a historic act of conscience for defending human dignity by explaining that “This journey, in which our President Arslan and Deputy General Secretary are also involved, is a journey of conscience. This journey is a struggle to uphold human dignity. This march is the will to convey our sincere messages to our brothers and sisters in Gaza that have been struggling for survival under the terrorist state of Israeli blockade on Gaza: You are not alone.”
By noting that Mr. Mahmut Arslan has been one of the strongest defenders of the Palestinian people’s just struggle on national and international platforms for years, Mr. Sert underlined that “Our President Arslan is not just a trade union leader. He is such a man of conscience who has considered the cause of Jerusalem and Palestine an inseparable part of the labour struggle and union movement for years.”
By emphasizing that Mr. Arslan has joined the global SUMUD Flotilla despite all the risks, Mr. Sert remarked that our President Arslan has embarked on this journey of conscience to be the voice of the oppressed Gaza people that have been struggling for survival under the Israeli blockade. The stance taken by Mr. Mahmut Arslan was a historic stance to defend human dignity and (to) uphold fundamental human rights.”
By stating that Israel is afraid of humanitarian aid volunteers and the united conscience of humanity, Mr. Sert emphasized that none of the volunteers in the Sumud Flotilla were carrying weapons; they were all civilians and volunteers. He also told that “You never have any right or clause to stop those humanitarian aid volunteers of compassion whose cargo consists of bread, medicine, clothes and conscience. Today, you can seize the ships, but you cannot destroy consciences.”
SECOND PROTEST STAGED AGAINST THE US GOVERNMENT DUE TO ITS ONGOING SUPPORT TO ZIONIST ISRAEL
As the HAK-İŞ Confederation, we once again gathered in Ankara to protest the US government. Second consecutive protest organised by the HAK-İŞ Confederation. This protest aimed the United States government held in front of the US Embassy in the 21 May 2026 afternoon due to its ongoing political, economic and military support to the terorist state of Israel.
Mr. Devlet Sert, the Active President of HAK-İŞ Confederation, Mr. Yunus Değirmenci, Mr. Mehmet Ali Kayabaşı and Mr. Halil Özdemir who are HAK-İŞ Vice-Presidents, Mrs. Eda Akbulut, the HAK-İŞ General Secretary, presidents and executive board members of the HAK-İŞ sectorial affiliates (member unions) as well as Mr. İsmail Öztürk, Mr. Emre Kocaman, Mr. Muhammet Esat Eyvaz and Mr. Fehmi Azboy who are our union Executive Board Members/Vice-Presidents together with the branch chairpersons, the head office staff and members/workers of our union of Öz Sağlık-İş and other sectorial syndicates, and the press and media representatives were present in front of the US Embassy.
“YOU WILL BE DEFEATED BY SUMUD AND THOSE WHO HAVE DEDICATED THEIR LIFETIMES TO THE PALESTINIAN CAUSE”
The great HAK-İŞ community protested the US by holding a protest activity in front of the collaborator of the zionist Israel due to the unlawful detention of the HAK-İŞ President Mr. Mahmut Arslan and its Deputy General Secretary Mrs. Fatma Zengin, who are part of the global SUMUD Flotilla, by zionist Israel in international waters.
Members of the great HAK-İŞ community which gathered in front of the US Embassy in Ankara chanted slogans such as “Free Palestine from the River to the Sea,” “Down with Israeli Tyranny,” “Mahmut Arslan is our honour,” “Mahmut Arslan is not alone,” “Fatma Zengin is not Alone,” “The People of Gaza are not alone,” “Killer Israel, Get Out of Palestine,” “Greetings to SUMUD, Continue the Resistance,” and “Zionist Israel will be held accountable”.
MR. SERT: THE US IS THE PRIMARY SUPPORTER OF ZIONIST ISRAEL AND ITS COLLABORATOR IN ALL INHUMANE ACTIVITIES
Mr. Devlet Sert stated, in his statement in front of the US Embassy, that the biggest force behind the Israeli massacres in Gaza is the United States of America (the US) by underlining that the greatest punishment inflicted on the Palestinian people who bear the burden of the Jerusalem cause is the massacre in the Gaza territory. The people of the Gaza strip have been subjected to the most vile and barbaric massacre (genocide) on the earth since they have been standing up for Jerusalem and the Al-Aqsa Mosque, which are considered the honor of the Ummah.”
Mr. Sert attracted the attention to the fact that those who support crimes against humanity in Gaza were as guilty as the perpetrators by asking these questions: “Who is responsible for those massacres and genocide? That is the bloodthirsty terrorist state of Israel. Who is emboldening Israel so much? Its collaborator and primary supporter is the United States which has been pursuing a hypocritical policy in the Gaza matter.
MR. SERT: PRAY FOR SAFE RETURN OF THE HAK-İŞ REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE SUMUD FLOTILLA TO HOMELAND
Mr. Devlet Sert shared a good news regarding the safe return of the humanitarian aid activists as per the Turkish Foreign Affairs Ministry recent statement about this issue by noting that HAK-İŞ community has been protesting the unlawful detention of SUMUD activists and recent statement made by the Turkish Foreign Affairs Ministry was encouraging.
Mr. Sert said that the said announcement suggested that Turkish citizens and other volunteers from third countries that were in Sumud flotilla would be brought to Türkiye lately today (20 May 2026) via chartered flights.
That is a hopeful development and very positive news for us. We look forward to safe return of HAK-İŞ representatives and other activists as per Mr. Sert remarks at the end of the protest activity.
