Erdogan threatens Israel in case of hunt for Hamas in Turkey
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has threatened Israel in the event that members of the Islamist Hamas are persecuted in his country. "If they dare to take such a step against Turkey, they will pay the price in a way that they will not be able to recover," Erdogan said on a flight back from Qatar, according to his office.
The state news agency Anadolu had already reported on Monday that Ankara had threatened Israel with "serious consequences" if the Israeli secret services pursued Hamas supporters in Turkey.
The Wall Street Journal had previously reported that Israel's secret services were preparing to track down and kill Hamas leaders worldwide after the end of the Gaza war. Turkey maintains links with Hamas and officials are also said to be in the country. Hamas leader Ismail Haniya has been living with his family in the Emirate of Qatar for years. Hamas is considered a terrorist organization in Europe and the USA, but not in Turkey.
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- If Israel decides to hunt down Hamas members in Turkey, as reported by the Wall Street Journal, they could face severe consequences, according to Erdogan's warning.
- The Turkish President's statement came following reports that Israel's secret services were planning to track down and potentially eliminate Hamas leaders globally, including in Turkey.
- Erdogan's threat comes amidst allegations that Hamas has links with Turkey, and officials from the group are believed to be present in the country.
- Despite Hamas being considered a terrorist organization in Europe and the USA, Turkey does not share this perspective, maintaining a relatively open stance towards the group.
Source: www.ntv.de
