A Turkish lawmaker had a heart attack and fell to the ground in Parliament on Tuesday after declaring that Israel will ‘not be able to escape the wrath of God,’ according to reports.
Video shows Saadet Party Kocaeli Deputy Hasan Bitmez, 53, delivering a speech, which according to the BBC, was on the budget of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, at the Turkish Grand National Assembly.
‘Even if history remains silent, the truth will not remain silent. They think that if they get rid of us, there will be no problem,’ Bitmez said in a translated version of his speech. ‘However, if you get rid of us, you will not be able to escape the torment of conscience. Even if you escape the torment of history, you will not be able to escape the wrath of God.’
He then turned and fainted, hitting his ground on what appeared to be a marble floor.
The BBC reported that Bitmez was given first aid, which included CPR, before he was taken out of the room on a stretcher while emergency medical crews continued to perform CPR.
Fahrettin Koca, the minister of health, reportedly made a statement about Bitmez’s condition.
‘During angiography, it was seen that two main veins were completely blocked, and after the intervention did not yield any results, he was connected to a heart-lung pump,’ Koka reportedly said. ‘He is now vital with a heart-lung pump.’
The BBC also reported that Bitmez was listed in serious condition, is a diabetic and had two heart stents.
When he fell ill, he was criticizing the Turkish government’s policy regarding the Israel-Hamas war.