Erdogan warns Israel against persecution of Hamas in Turkey
Turkish head of state Erdogan is clearly taking the side of the Palestinians in the Gaza war. He is not sparing in his criticism of Israel. The efforts of the Israeli secret service to persecute Hamas supporters in other countries are a source of resentment for Erdogan.
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 return flight 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.
Two-state solution necessary
The Turkish head of state has clearly sided with the Palestinians in the Gaza war. He would like to see Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu brought before a war crimes tribunal for the offensive in the Gaza Strip. Netanyahu would "not only be tried as a war criminal, but also as the butcher of Gaza, just as Milosevic was tried", said Erdogan.
He was referring to the former Serbian ruler Slobodan Milosevic, who was indicted for war crimes at the International Criminal Court in The Hague. Milosevic died of a heart attack in a UN prison before the end of his trial in 2006. Erdogan repeatedly attacks Netanyahu verbally. He had already called him the "butcher of Gaza" last week. Gaza belongs to the Palestinians and will remain so, Erdogan continued. He also made it clear once again that a two-state solution within the 1967 borders with peaceful coexistence between Israelis and Palestinians was necessary.
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In response to Israel's alleged plans to persecute Hamas supporters in Turkey, President Erdogan has issued a stark warning, stating, "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." Moreover, Turkey continues to support Hamas, with Hamas leader Ismail Haniya residing in Qatar and reportedly maintaining ties with Turkey.
Source: www.ntv.de
