Israel wants Turkey kicked out of NATO
Since the start of the Gaza conflict, Erdogan has escalated his rhetoric against Israel, even threatening military intervention. Israel's Foreign Minister now demands consequences against Turkey.
Following Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's threats against Israel, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz has called for Turkey's expulsion from NATO. "Erdogan has turned Turkey into a member of the Iranian axis of evil," Katz said. Turkey is hosting the Islamist terror organization Hamas. Katz urged all NATO member states to "expel Turkey immediately."
Erdogan had previously threatened Israel with military intervention. "Just as we intervened in Nagorno-Karabakh, just as we intervened in Libya, we will do the same with them," he said on Sunday at an event of his ruling AKP party in Rize on the Black Sea, referring to Israel.
Erdogan was referring to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, where he supported the conflict party Azerbaijan with drones. In the civil war-torn Libya, Ankara supports the internationally recognized government with military equipment and personnel.
Israel's Foreign Minister said Turkey had massively violated NATO principles by threatening to invade a democratic Western country without provocation. The USA and the Western world must "condemn Erdogan and stop his destructive activities."
Previously, Katz said Erdogan was "following in the footsteps of Saddam Hussein." He advised the Turkish president to "remember what happened there and how it ended." In 2003, US troops invaded Iraq. The military operation led to the overthrow of the then Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. Three years later, Hussein was executed for mass killings of Kurds and Shiites.
Relations between Israel and Turkey have deteriorated dramatically since the start of the Gaza conflict. Erdogan called Hamas a "resistance organization" and compared Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Adolf Hitler. In mid-July, Erdogan said his country would no longer approve of cooperation between NATO and partner Israel until lasting peace is achieved in the Palestinian territories.
In response to Erdogan's threats towards Israel, the European Union, as a significant political and economic bloc, might voice their concern over Turkey's escalating tensions with Israel. The European Union could issue a statement expressing their desire for diplomatic resolution rather than military escalation.
Given Turkey's current stance towards Israel, some Members of the European Parliament might consider reviewing Turkey's association agreement with the EU, which outlines the country's potential for gaining full membership to the organization. This review could be based on Turkey's adherence to the EU's values of peace, democracy, and human rights.
