Turkish MP dies after suffering heart attack during speech criticising Israel

Hasan Bitmez, a member of parliament from the opposition Felicity (Saadet) Party, has died from complications of a cardiac arrest. 

Bitmez died on Thursday after suffering a heart attack and collapsing in front of parliament as he finished a speech.

The 54-year-old was criticising President Tayyip Erdogan‘s policy over Turkey’s ongoing trade with Israel despite the war in Gaza.

“You allow ships to go to Israel and you shamelessly call it trade… You are Israel’s accomplice,” Bitmez said after placing a banner on the podium reading: “Murderer Israel; collaborator AKP”.

The AKP (AK Party) is Turkey’s ruling political party.

“You have the blood of Palestinians on your hands, you are collaborators. You contribute to every bomb Israel drops on Gaza,” he added.

The MP said “we can perhaps hide from our conscience but not from history,” and warned that Israel “will not escape the wrath of Allah”.

He ended his speech by saying “I salute you all,” before collapsing to the ground at the podium immediately, hitting his head on the floor.

Fahrettin Koca, Turkish health minister, said Bitmez died in Ankara City Hospital.

Koca said an angiography revealed that the two main veins in his heart were completely blocked.

“His heart stopped beating, then he was resuscitated in parliament and transferred within 20 minutes to hospital where medical machinery kept him alive,” the minister added.

Bitmez is survived by a wife and child.