"Rogue state" Israel

Erdogan continues to ignite: “Don’t believe that …”

Erdogan warns of an Israeli attack on Turkey.

(Bild: AP ( via APA) Austria Presse Agentur/Khalil Hamra)

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has accused Israel of wanting to attack Turkey "sooner or later" in the event of a victory over the militant Palestinian organization Hamas. He did not provide any evidence for his assumption - but instead used harsh words.

"Do not believe that Israel will stop in the Gaza Strip," Erdogan told members of his party in parliament in Ankara on Wednesday. If Israel is not stopped, "this rogue and terrorist state will sooner or later target Anatolia."

Hamas members in Turkish hospitals
"We will continue to stand by the side of Hamas, which is fighting for the independence of its own country and defending Anatolia," Erdogan continued. The large peninsula of Anatolia makes up almost half of Turkey's territory. On Monday, the Turkish head of state declared that more than 1,000 Hamas members were being treated in Turkish hospitals.

Erdogan is a vocal critic of Israel's actions in the Gaza Strip. The Turkish president considers Hamas, which is classified as a terrorist organization by the EU and the USA, to be a "resistance group".

Erdogan isolates himself
"To describe Hamas (...) as a terrorist organization would be cruel," he said recently at a press conference with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. Last month, Erdogan received the head of the Hamas politburo, Ismail Haniyeh, in Istanbul.

Erdogan, who is otherwise a master at playing all diplomatic sides, is becoming increasingly radical in his criticism of Israel. The Turkish ruler is thereby torpedoing his ambitions in Europe. "Turkey has been moving away from the EU for years - in words and in deeds. Turkey's accession to the EU is an illusion," said Federal Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg in the Turkish capital on Monday.

Increasing domestic pressure
Political observers see the real reason for Erdogan's outbursts of anger in the fact that the autocrat is losing support at home. Domestically, Erdogan's conservative Islamic AK Party is under pressure. In the local elections at the end of March, it was no longer the strongest party in the country for the first time since it was founded two decades ago. The social democratic CHP was not only able to defend the mayoral posts in Ankara and Istanbul, but also made significant gains in other large cities and rural areas.