(ConservativeInsider.org) – The president of Turkey, Tayyip Erdogan, made comments this week in support of Palestinian group Hamas, suggesting they are a liberation group fighting for their homeland and not a terrorist organization. Erdogan called them “mujahideen,” which is an Arabic word that means people who fight for their faith.
Though the Turkish president had plans to visit Israel, he said he is cancelling the trip due to their “inhumane” war. He further suggested that while the West may owe Israel fealty and support, Turkey owes Israel nothing.
The Foreign Minister of Turkey, Hakan Fidan, gave a speech in Qatar accusing Israel of crimes against humanity in their war against Palestine, suggesting that Israel has been targeting children, hospital patients, and the elderly.
The Italian Deputy Prime Minister gave a rebuke to Erdogan, saying they “did not help with de-escalation” of the conflict. He pushed the Foreign Minister of Italy to make a formal complaint with Ankara, the capital of Turkey. Erdogan’s comments also drew criticism from an Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesperson calling Hamas a “terrorist organization.”
The relationship between Turkey and Israel has been acrimonious for years, but in recent times, they have tried to mend their relationship, working together on energy issues as a path towards cooperation. Erdogan brought up that he had recently shaken the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s hand at the U.N. General Assembly and that if Netanyahu had acted with “good intentions,” their relationship could have continued on a positive trajectory, but said Netanyahu “took advantage” of Turkey’s good intentions.
Erdogan accused western countries of hypocrisy for supporting the Ukrainians after Russia invaded them, but not supporting Palestine after Israel’s retaliatory strikes. He further said that the countries outside the region that have stepped up to support Israel are “adding fuel to the fire.”
According to reports in the media based on information from the Gaza Ministry of Health, over 5,000 people have been killed in Gaza since October 7th.
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