The President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has labeled Israel a terrorist state, citing its bombing and treatment of Palestinians.
Speaking to the Turkish parliament on Wednesday, Erdogan also referred to Israel as an “occupier.”
However, the president refused to condemn Hamas as a terrorist organization.
He is expected to travel to Germany in the next few days, where he plans to raise concerns about Israel’s actions with his German counterpart, Olaf Scholz.
Erdogan has accused Western countries of providing unlimited support for what he calls “the most treacherous attacks in human history” by Israel on Palestinians.
Also, he called on Israel to declare its nuclear status after recent comments by Israel’s Heritage Minister, who teased the idea of using nuclear weapons in Gaza.
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Earlier this month, Turkey recalled its ambassador from Israel for consultations and has since taken a tough diplomatic stance against Israel.
Turkey has been a welcoming place for Hamas, as it does not consider Hamas a terrorist organization but rather views them as freedom fighters.
Türkiye has offered sanctuary to the group’s leadership, alongside Qatar. Qatar also serves as the main intermediary during negotiations between Hamas and Israel.