One of the few outspoken critics of Israel’s aggression targeting Palestinians, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan sought to mobilize the Islamic world again to halt what Türkiye calls Israel’s war crimes and genocidal attempts against the people of Gaza and beyond. The conflict, underway since October 2023, has claimed the lives of more than 40,000 people in the Gaza Strip and other Palestinian territories, mostly women and children, and injured thousands of others.
Addressing an event on Saturday in the northwestern province of Kocaeli, Erdoğan said Muslim countries should form an alliance against the escalating threat of expansionism of the Netanyahu administration of Israel. “The only step that will stop Israeli arrogance, Israeli banditry and Israeli state terrorism is the alliance of Islamic countries,” Erdoğan said.
Türkiye has sought to improve and resume ties with Egypt and the Bashar Assad regime of Syria. Erdoğan also said one of the factors in normalizing ties is “to form a line of solidarity against the growing threat of expansionism” that also threatened Lebanon and Syria. His remarks came a few days after he hosted Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi in Ankara, the first visit by the Egyptian leader to Türkiye in 12 years.
The Turkish president earlier hinted that he may invite his former friend Assad to Türkiye as Damascus and Ankara eye normalizing ties severed due to the conflict that broke out in 2011.
In a joint news conference with el-Sissi during the latter’s visit to Ankara, Erdoğan underlined that Türkiye and Egypt had a common stand on the Palestine issue, and both prioritized an end to the months-long genocide, ensuring a permanent cease-fire and uninterrupted flow of humanitarian aid for Palestinians.
Highlighting the ongoing genocide in Gaza, Erdoğan lamented the fact that “Zionists have occupied Palestinian territories inch by inch since the Ottoman Empire withdrew in 1918.”
“Palestinians are confined to narrow strips of lands in Ramallah and Gaza and now Israel aims to commit genocide in both the West Bank and Gaza. They attack, they don’t care about the gender or age of (their victims),” Erdoğan said.
“This is not a war between Israel and Palestine, but rather, it is a fight between expansionist Zionism and Muslims defending their homeland. Some Islamic countries and some people here in Türkiye are committing a grave mistake by turning a blind eye to this issue. They think it is something happening in a distant place and it won’t affect them. But (they should know) that Israel will not stop in Gaza and will set its sights on another place. Other countries in the region will be next. They will target Lebanon and Syria. They will target lands between the Tigris and Euphrates,” he said.
“They openly announce their intention with the maps they pose with,” he added, referring to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu posing earlier this month with a map without the borders of the West Bank, something that angered Palestinians.
The president reiterated Türkiye’s support for Hamas, which is labeled a terrorist group by some Western countries. Ankara views Hamas as a liberation movement.
“Hamas is resisting on behalf of Muslims. They are not only defending Gaza but Islamic lands and Türkiye,” Erdoğan stated.
He underlined that opposing state terrorism by Israel was an Islamic duty, a national, patriotic task. “Islamic countries should wake up, see the peril and increase the cooperation. The steps we are taking with Egypt and Syria aim to form a solidarity front against the expansionist threat. All Islamic countries should adopt a common stance against the Israeli occupation. The only step to stop Israel’s arrogance, banditry and state terrorism is the alliance of Islamic countries,” Erdoğan said.
He emphasized that Türkiye’s restored ties with Egypt would benefit Gaza and a more comprehensive Palestine. “The contacts we are making with neighboring countries will benefit our region. We will continue to increase the number of our friends in the region,” he said.
Erdoğan’s statements drew the ire of Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz, who is known for his notorious social media posts hurling unfounded allegations at Türkiye for its support of the Palestinian cause. Katz claimed Erdoğan threw the Turkish public into “the fire of hatred and violence” in a social media post.
The Turkish government condemned Katz and said he lacked credibility, saying: “Even within the Netanyahu government, which is infamously remembered for its crimes against humanity, leaving a dark stain on history. The statement suggested that Katz is attempting to remain relevant by drawing the attention of social media users in Türkiye in a bid to secure his position within what it described as a “genocide network.” Türkiye reaffirmed its commitment to speaking the truth and defending the legitimate cause of the Palestinian people despite such baseless attacks. The government emphasized that it will continue to stand firm in supporting Palestinian rights and justice.
Türkiye has been fiercely critical of Israel’s brutal offensive in Gaza, which it and others say amounts to genocide. It has also slammed many Western allies for their support of Israel and repeatedly called for Muslim unity to facilitate a desperately needed cease-fire. Ankara urges Israel to reciprocate the constructive approach of the Palestinians in cease-fire negotiations and the international community to pressure Netanyahu’s government. Türkiye has also formally applied to join South Africa’s initiative to have Israel tried for genocide at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
Ankara has sought to mobilize Muslim and Arab countries to stand in the face of Israeli aggression and has been a fervent supporter of the Palestinian cause. It joined a diplomatic group consisting of ministers from various countries that went on a globetrotting mission to ensure more action by the international community to halt Israel’s attacks targeting innocent Palestinians and for a lasting peace.
