Israel-Hamas War: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has recently advocated for an alliance of Islamic nations to counter what he describes as “Israeli arrogance, banditry, and state terrorism,” according to Israel-based i24 News. Erdogan’s call for such an alliance follows claims by Palestinian and Turkish officials that Israeli troops killed a Turkish-American woman participating in a protest against West Bank settlement expansion.
Addressing an Islamic schools’ association event near Istanbul, Erdogan also mentioned that Turkey’s recent efforts to mend relations with Egypt and Syria are part of a strategy to counteract the dangers of regional expansionism, which he believes also threatens Lebanon and Syria, reported ANI.
In response, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz criticized Erdogan, accusing him of inciting hatred and violence for the benefit of Hamas. Katz dismissed Erdogan’s assertions as dangerous falsehoods, maintaining that Israel is merely defending its borders against Hamas and the Iranian-backed “Shiite axis of evil.”
Katz’s comments were posted on X, where he stated, “@RTErdogan continues to throw the Turkish people into the fire of hatred and violence for the sake of his Hamas friends. Today, he calls on Islamic nations to form an alliance against Israel, claiming ‘Israel wants to conquer countries in the region, including Turkey.’ This is a dangerous lie and incitement.”
Earlier in August, Turkey condemned the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, the Hamas Political Bureau chief, in Tehran. The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement expressing condolences to the Palestinian people and criticizing the Israeli government’s approach to peace.
Turkey accused Israel of aiming to escalate the Gaza conflict to a regional level and pledged continued support for the Palestinian cause. The statement followed reports from Press TV and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) indicating Haniyeh’s death in an attack in Tehran.