In a bold statement, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan expressed his support for the Palestinian militant group Hamas, asserting that it is not a terrorist organization but rather a liberation group fighting to safeguard Palestinian territories. Erdogan made these remarks during a gathering of lawmakers from his ruling AK Party.
Unlike many of its NATO allies and the European Union, Turkey does not classify Hamas as a terrorist organization and provides shelter to members of the group within its borders. Ankara advocates for a two-state solution to address the long-standing Israel-Palestinian conflict.
President Erdogan criticized Western powers for endorsing Israel's airstrikes on Gaza and called for an immediate ceasefire, unimpeded humanitarian aid access to Gaza, and urged Muslim nations to collaborate in halting the violence.
Erdogan's stance drew swift criticism from various quarters. Israel rejected his characterization of Hamas, with Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lior Haiat labeling the group as "a despicable terrorist organization."
Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini condemned Erdogan's comments as "grave and disgusting," asserting they did not contribute to de-escalation. Salvini urged Italy's foreign minister to file a formal protest with Ankara.
Erdogan's statement impacted financial markets, as shares in Istanbul experienced a 7% drop, attributed by traders to his remarks regarding Hamas.
These developments occur amid Turkey's efforts to repair relations with Israel, focusing on energy cooperation as a key area of collaboration. Erdogan, however, indicated that these normalization endeavors were now on hold. He accused Israel of exploiting Turkey's "good intentions" and disclosed that he had cancelled a previously scheduled visit to Israel.
Erdogan further accused the West of double standards, contending that the international community did not respond to what he termed Israel's "deliberate massacre" in Gaza with the same vigor as it did to Russia's incursion into Ukraine. This statement underscores the complex geopolitical dynamics at play in the Middle East. Stay tuned for further updates on this evolving situation.
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