CHICAGO - Expression of "Islamic terrorism" was unacceptable, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday.
Erdogan attended a panel discussion on the Middle East organized by the Academy of Achievement in Chicago, the United States.
Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan said that terrorism did not have any religion, language, race or country.
The expression "moderate Islam" was also wrong, Erdogan stated.
Erdogan said, "Turkey is not a country where moderate Islam prevails."
Besides Erdogan, former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, U.S. Congressman Jane Harmon and Prof. Bernard Lewis of Princeton University, an expert on Middle East, participated in the panel discussion.
Reacting to the expression "moderate Islam" used by panelist Harmon, Erdogan said, "Turkey is not a country where moderate Islam prevails. This expression is wrong. The word Islam is uninflected, it is only Islam. When you say moderate Islam, then there will be another alternative like nonmoderate Islam. As a Muslim, I can't accept such a concept. Islam rejects extreme concepts. I am not an extreme Muslim."
"I think that both Palestinian and Israeli people are in favor of peace. Both Israel and Palestine should firstly believe in peace. This is a psychological process. If you can't achieve this process, you will only watch bombardments. Those who are powerful and who want to help solution of the dispute should keep on making recommendations to Palestine and Israel for peace. I, my government and my nation are ready to fulfil our responsibilities," Erdogan said.
"It is not possible to end this dispute as long as you continue to bomb those who are staging peace demonstrations as troops are leaving Gaza," Erdogan stated.
Reacting to panelist Bernard Lewis, who used the expression "Islamic terrorism", Erdogan said, "this expression will sadden not only the Muslims but also those who believe in other religions. None of the religions allows terrorism. Therefore, it is very ugly to put the word Islam before terrorism. You may say religious terrorist but you can't say Islamic terrorist."