Controversial visit: Erdogan arrives in Berlin
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has arrived in Berlin for his first visit to Germany in three years. He landed at the military section of the capital's airport in Schönefeld near Berlin on Friday afternoon, as reported by dpa reporters. During his short stay of just a few hours, he will first be received by Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier at Bellevue Palace. He will then meet Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) for dinner. His departure is planned for the evening.
The visit is particularly controversial due to Erdogan's harsh verbal attacks against Israel since the start of the Gaza war. Erdogan accused the country of "genocide" (genocide) in the Gaza Strip and "fascism", questioned Israel's right to exist and described the terrorist organization Hamas as a "liberation organization". Scholz rejected Erdogan's accusations against Israel as "absurd".
The controversial visit has brought up discussions about the potential role of diplomacy in managing the tensions arising from Erdogan's critical remarks towards Israel, particularly regarding the conflicts in Gaza. Despite the controversial nature of Erdogan's statements, it is expected that diplomacy will be the main tool to address these issues during his meetings with German leaders.
Source: www.dpa.com
