Turkey's Stance on Israel-Hamas War Reiterated During Visit to Germany

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the President of Turkey, whose positions on the Israel-Hamas war have become controversial, criticized Israel's actions in Gaza once again during his short visit to Germany. On the evening of Friday, November 17, Erdoğan was welcomed by Olaf Scholz, the Chancellor, and Frank-Walter Steinmeier, his German counterpart. This visit came at a time when political tensions between Turkey and Germany have reached their highest level in recent years amid the Israel-Hamas war. Following Hamas's terrorist attack on Israel that initiated the war, Erdoğan praised Hamas's struggle and referred to the militant group, classified as a terrorist organization by many countries including the U.S., Canada, and the European Union, as a 'liberation group.' During this visit, Erdoğan reiterated his criticism of Israel's actions in Gaza, stating, 'We are talking about 13,000 children, women, and the elderly who have been killed. Everything has been turned to dust.' He also emphasized the call for a 'humanitarian ceasefire.' Erdoğan further stated, 'If Germany and Turkey can achieve such a ceasefire together, there will be a chance to save the region from this 'ring of fire.' Everyone must strive for lasting peace in the Middle East.' Olaf Scholz once again emphasized Israel's right to defend itself and deemed Israel's existence 'undeniable.' He told Erdoğan, 'Israel has the right to defend itself according to international law.' In a joint press conference held before discussions and dinner between the two politicians, the German Chancellor said, 'Every life is equally valuable. The federal government is also concerned about the suffering of Palestinian civilians.' In addition to the war in the Middle East and Russia's attack on Ukraine, this meeting is likely to focus on Turkey's intention to purchase Eurofighter jets. This meeting has been controversial due to Erdoğan's harsh verbal attacks against Israel since the beginning of the Gaza war, with many politicians calling for its cancellation. Although Erdoğan condemned the killing of Israeli civilians in the October 7 terrorist attack, he described Hamas as a 'liberation organization' following Israel's retaliatory actions and accused Israel of 'genocide' in Gaza, questioning Israel's right to exist. Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel, responded by accusing Erdoğan of supporting 'Hamas terrorists.' He stated that by accusing Israel of terrorism, Erdoğan has placed himself in the position of a terrorist. In Germany, at least 3 million Turkish migrants live, which could play a significant role in these meetings; however, critics believe that Scholz should not overlook Erdoğan's public statements without response.