Archive for the ‘Erdogan’ Category

Erdogans Turkey: Champion of Hamas, and an adversary of the West – Kathimerini English Edition

Turkeys President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks during a press conference with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis (not seen) at the Presidential Palace in Ankara, on May 13. [Umit Bektas/Reuters]

Press conferences convened by heads of government, are usually carefully planned and choreographed occasions. Typically, prior to taking the podium, each leaders staff usually finesse their agreed-upon statements and decide whether to field questions from the gathered press pool. In a perfect world, this should not be a forum where surprises are sprung upon one leader by the other.

This was not the case at a meeting between Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on May 13. It is a well-established fact that Turkey and Greece disagree on many foreign policy issues, ranging from maritime border and airspace disputes, all the way to how to settle the Cyprus dispute. While these issues are difficult to resolve, summits between Greek and Turkish leaders have not been occasions where these differences act out. Leaders are usually cordial and respectful towards the other. A new issue where Turkey and Greece (and most of the Western Hemisphere for that matter!) hold opposing views is the Gaza war. While Greece supports Israels right to defend itself against Hamas an EU and US designated terrorist organization, responsible for the murder of over 1,200 Israeli civilians on October 7, 2023, Turkey sees things differently. Erdogan refers to the group as a group of mujahadeen resistance fighters, struggling to end Israels oppression of Palestinians.

While the two Aegean countries are unlikely to change their views on Hamas, admonishing a countrys leader for their countrys position, at a publicly televised press conference, is a gross violation of diplomatic protocol and tradition. Yet, this is exactly what Erdogan did. In addition to reiterating his support of Hamas, Erdogan lectured Mitsotakis, remarking that if one calls Hamas, [which] has lost 40,000 of its people, a terrorist organization, this would be a heartless approach. While this was certainly a shocking rebuke of his counterpart, Erdogans second outburst at the joint press conference shocked audiences. The Turkish leader openly admitted that more than 1,000 members of Hamas are under treatment in hospitals across Turkey. Mitsotakis managed to maintain a stoic disposition, simply stating, Lets agree to disagree. Meanwhile, reporters were busy soaking up the news that the president of a NATO country admitted on live television that it was providing medical care to Hamas fighters. The question that still lacks an answer is glaringly obvious: Given that Gaza is under the control of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), how did 1,000 terrorists manage to get medevacked to Turkey? Before this could be investigated further, an alleged Turkish official, told Reuters, on the condition of anonymity, that Erdogan misspoke, and it was not Hamas fighters who were receiving medical treatment, but Palestinians from Hamas-run Gaza. The official may be telling the truth, as Turkey and Egypt have been permitted to evacuate gravely ill and injured Gazans to hospitals in their countries. But then again, they may not, and Erdogan did not misspeak. Ankara has not issued any official correction of his remarks. In the event that the presidents remarks needed to be corrected, a press official would be quick to engage in a what he really meant to say type of clean-up effort, rather than rely on an anonymous official to contain the spread of a bombshell admission. More importantly, the officials comment to Reuters is not a correction. For one thing, its not an official statement. Furthermore, we have no way of knowing if the official is a government representative, authorized to speak on behalf of Erdogan, or whether the 1,000 people evacuated from Gaza to Turkey are actually civilians and not Hamas. Bottom line: If Erdogan wanted to be crystal-clear on the issue of whether his country is aiding and abetting members of a terrorist organization, he could unequivocally do so. The fact that he has not is suspicious.

Unless of course, it is in keeping with Turkeys wider ambition to be Hamas main patron on the world stage. Erdogan has not shied away from championing Hamas since the October 7 attacks. Since then, Turkey has steadily increased its hostile stance towards Israel, calling the war a genocide against Palestinians; an act, which, Erdogan stated, Hitler would have been jealous of. On May 2, 2024, Erdogan imposed a complete trade embargo on Israel, breaching numerous existing contractual trade obligations that are likely to be contested in court.

If Recep Tayyip Erdogan wanted to be crystal-clear on the issue of whether his country is aiding and abetting members of a terrorist organization, he could unequivocally do so

Most damning has been Ankaras granting of safe harbor and sanctuary to Hamas and its leadership. Senior leaders like (the late) Saleh al-Arouri and Ismail Haniyeh received Turkish passports, allowing them to travel freely internationally. Turkey is likely the biggest financial hub for the terrorist entity, allowing Hamas donors to use Turkeys financial system to facilitate the transfer of hundreds of millions of dollars to its Gaza base. On May 14, the London-based Times newspaper revealed the story of the IDF finding a document in the Gaza home of Hamza Abu Shanab, the chief of staff to Yahya Sinwar, the leader of Hamas in Gaza and the mastermind of Hamas October 7 attacks. The document reveals Hamas exploring the possibility of establishing a base in Turkey that could be used to launch terror attacks inside Israel. We do not know if any of these goals were ever realized, but between April 19-20, Erdogan hosted Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh in Istanbul, where among many other topics, they discussed the possibility of relocating Hamas external headquarters from Qatar to Turkey.

Finally, on May 15, Erdogan addressed his parliamentary group, this time going further than before, to accuse Israel having ambitions on taking Turkish territory, and that Hamas [was] the first line of defense against eventual military expansion by Israel into Anatolia. All this should serve as a harbinger of Erdogans real intentions to prioritize the mission of a terrorist entity above those of Turkeys existing obligations towards treaty allies. By refusing to designate Hamas as a terrorist entity, and instead nurture it, Erdogan undermines the security interests of NATO, the EU and the United States. It also makes it clear to them that Turkey does not share their values and threat perceptions. Just prior to October 7, Erdogan was exploring ways to normalize ties with Israel, even attempting to nail down a possible date that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could visit Ankara. Following the attacks in Israel, it took Erdogan no time to abandon what some already perceived to be an insincere initiative in the first place. Barely weeks had passed following October 7, when Erdogan called Irans president to coordinate peace efforts. By the end of January 2024, both Iran and Turkey were coordinating their condemnation efforts of Jerusalem.

Erdogans Turkey is the country for which the Biden administration and Congress approved the sale of new fighter jets and military equipment a deal thats worth $23 billion. The time for introspection and deliberation about Erdogans intentions has surely passed. What is the virtue and value in continuing to coddle a leader who undermines everything that we and our allies value? What more does Erdogan have to do to demonstrate that he is nurturing a country that is only an ally in name, and a growing adversary with each passing day?

Sinan Ciddi is a non-resident senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), where he contributes to FDDs Turkey Program and Center on Military and Political Power (CMPP). He is also an associate professor of Security Studies at the Command and Staff College-Marine Corps University and Georgetown Universitys School of Foreign Service.

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Erdogans Turkey: Champion of Hamas, and an adversary of the West - Kathimerini English Edition

Turkey’s Erdogan says fiscal policy will not stoke inflation – Investing.com

ISTANBUL (Reuters) -Turkish fiscal policy will not add to inflationary pressure as the country begins to experience some disinflationary relief in the second half of the year, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday.

Addressing the Foreign Economic Relations Board, Erdogan said annual inflation should peak in May before cooling, echoing the forecasts of the central bank and offering his latest endorsement of the economic programme.

"We will enter a disinflationary period in the second half of the year. We will not allow for inflationary pressures through fiscal policy," he said.

The economic programme mainly aims to lower inflation to single digits, Erdogan added. "We are aiming for a sustained drop in inflation, not temporary relief."

Annual consumer price inflation was near 70% in April and is expected to touch about 75% this month. The central bank has aggressively hiked interest rates to 50% since June last year, reversing a years-long easy-money policy under Erdogan.

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Turkey's Erdogan says fiscal policy will not stoke inflation - Investing.com

Erdogan: Current Constitution Cannot Sustain the New Trkiye – Asharq Al-awsat – English

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan renewed his resolve to draft a new constitution for the country, saying the one in force after the military coup of 1980 cannot sustain the new Trkiye.

It's not possible for the current constitution to sustain Trkiye anymore, Erdogan said following a cabinet meeting in Ankara on Monday.

Despite all the amendments introduced to the current constitution, we have not been able to eliminate the spirit of guardianship that the coup plotters have injected into it, he said.

The Turkish democracy should settle old scores with the tradition of coups by adopting a new and civil constitution, he added.

Erdogan also stressed that he does not want a new constitution for himself. Trkiye needs this. This is what our nation needs. Future generations deserve to be governed by a liberal constitution, he said.

After being re-elected to a new and final presidential term in May 2023, Erdogan pledged to introduce a new liberal civil constitution to replace the current one, which according to him, is a product of the (1980) coup.

His insistence raises concerns that the move will help him cement his power indefinitely by allowing him to run for president again in the 2028 elections.

On Tuesday, Erdogan welcomed a Turkish court sentence of ex-leader of the pro-Kurdish Peoples Democratic Party (HDP), Selahattin Demirtas, to 42 years in prison and HDP's former co-chair Figen Yuksekdag to 30 years and three months for their alleged involvement in the Kobani protests in 2014.

The protesters in Trkiyes mainly Kurdish southeast accused the Turkish army of standing by as ISIS militants besieged Kobani in plain view just across the Syrian border in October 2014. The protests led to the deaths of 37 people.

Speaking at the appointment ceremony of judges and public prosecutors, Erdogan said: Ten years after the insurrection attempt, we see that justice has been served, albeit late, and we are pleased with this.

He dismissed the sharp criticism of the judiciary for the overblown rulings in the case and called them politicized.

We know well, especially from our experience, the damage caused by political and ideological polarization in the judicial system. We won't let that happen again, he said.

The Kobani trial involved 24 convicted politicians among 108 defendants, who were sentenced to a combined 407 years and seven months in prison.

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Erdogan: Current Constitution Cannot Sustain the New Trkiye - Asharq Al-awsat - English

No points from Erdogan. Turkey’s leader claims Eurovision Song Contest is a threat to family values – Lufkin Daily News

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No points from Erdogan. Turkey's leader claims Eurovision Song Contest is a threat to family values - Lufkin Daily News

Palestinian Islamic Jihad has secured a significant foothold in Turkey thanks to the Erdogan government – Nordic Research and Monitoring Network

Abdullah Bozkurt/Stockholm

The Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), designated as a terrorist group by Turkeys strategic partners, the US and EU, has significantly increased its presence in Turkey, a NATO member state, with substantial support from the Islamist government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and its allies.

Although Hamas is the preferred organization of the Erdogan government, enjoying more generous support and more favorable public exposure in Turkey, the PIJ has nonetheless garnered significant influence and developed the ability to rally Turks in support of the militant organization.

The key Palestinian operative overseeing Turkish operations is Ihsan Ataya, the leader of PIJ in Lebanon and member responsible for the organizations external affairs. His main facilitator is Nurettin (also known as Nureddin) irin, a long-time Turkish asset for the Iran-based Quds Force. irin has served time in prison for aiding and abetting the Quds Forces terrorist network, known in Turkey as Tawhid-Salam.

irin was the subject of a new terrorism probe in 2010 when he threatened to kill Jews in Turkey, prompting the police and prosecutors to investigate him and his associates. However, the investigation, which had uncovered further evidence of irins illegal ties to Iran, including illicit funding, was quashed by Turkish President Erdogan in 2014. The police and prosecutors who had investigated irin were arbitrarily reassigned and later dismissed by the government.

Ataya has visited Turkey multiple times as a guest of irin and his network, attending anti-Israel rallies and giving speeches that encouraged armed jihad against the West, particularly Israel. On behalf of the PIJ, he has been raising funds and obtaining logistical support for the organizations terrorist operations.

The last time Ataya appeared in Turkey was on May 5, 2024, when he delivered a fiery speech at a rally in Istanbul organized by Turkish Hizbullah. This pro-Iran group, aligned with the Erdogan government since 2014, is a separate entity from Lebanons Hezbollah, although both share the same ideological views and are supported by Iran.

A second Turkish national serving as the PIJs pointman is Kadir Akaras, the secretary general of the pro-Iran Ehli Beyt Alimleri Dernei (Ehlader) organization. A terrorism investigation conducted between 2011 and 2013 exposed Akarass connections to the Quds Force and revealed his meetings with Quds Force agents who were working undercover as Iranian consulate attachs in Istanbul. Like irin, he also managed to escape the long arm of justice due to interference in the case by the Erdogan government.

On behalf of Iran, Akaras carried out multiple clandestine operations, organized anti-West rallies in Turkey to shape public opinion and mobilized protesters against NATOs Krecik Radar Station, located in the southeastern province of Malatya. The radar station, which serves as an early-warning system against ballistic missile attacks, was initially installed and is currently operated by US military personnel.

Ataya also received the Erdogan governments blessing, which helped him navigate the Turkish bureaucracy smoothly and facilitated his engagement with Turkish officials. The Turkish Embassy in Lebanon even publicly shared a photo of him meeting with Turkish Ambassador Hakan akl on January 17, 2020, an occurrence that would have been unimaginable a decade ago. The photo serves as a testament to Atayas acceptance by Turkish state agencies.

Hasan Turan, who mobilizes resources for Hamas in Turkey on behalf of President Erdogan, has also been aiding and abetting the PIJ in its activities in the country. Turan, a member of parliament from Erdogans ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), serves as head of the Palestine-Turkey Parliamentary Friendship Group.

Acknowledgment of the PIJ as a legitimate player within the top leadership in Turkey has also influenced the positive coverage it receives in media outlets directly or indirectly controlled by the Erdogan government. It frequently garners favorable attention in Turkeys state-run Anadolu news agency, reflecting the official perspective of the government.

In return, the PIJ has positioned itself as a staunch supporter of the Erdogan regime in Turkey, rallying its followers to endorse Erdogan in elections. In fact Ataya issued a statement on behalf of the PIJ on May 29, 2023, congratulating Erdogan on his victory in the presidential and parliamentary elections, which were conducted in an unfair manner favoring Erdogan and his party.

In addition to Islamist groups, the PIJ also secured the endorsement of the far-left, neo-nationalist (Ulusalc) Aydnlk group, led by Dou Perinek, the leader of the Homeland Party (Vatan Partisi). The group is distinctly anti-West and advocates for Turkey to sever its ties with NATO and move towards an alliance with Iran, Russia and China.

Ataya was featured in the groups mouthpiece, the Aydnlk newspaper, on February 18, 2024, in an exclusive interview he gave in Lebanon. He stated that the PIJ has been waging a war not only against Israel but also against the US, the UK and other Western countries that support Israel. He predicted that Israel would turn its gaze towards other countries in the region after Palestine, a viewpoint recently echoed by Turkish President Erdogan.

Speaking in Parliament on May 15, 2024, Erdogan claimed that Israel would set its sights on Turkey if it succeeded in defeating Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Do not think that Israel will stop in Gaza, Erdoan told his party lawmakers. Unless its stopped this rogue and terrorist state will set its sights on Anatolia [Turkey] sooner or later, he said. We will continue to stand by Hamas, which fights for the independence of its own land and which defends Anatolia.

Nasser Abu Sharif, the PIJ representative in Iran, was another senior figure promoted in Turkey by the Aydnlk group. In an interview published on May 27, 2021, Sharif was given a platform to communicate the PIJs jihadist ideology and commitment to armed campaigns against Jews in particular and the West in general.

While Hamas is the primary beneficiary of the Erdogan governments endorsement, the PIJs presence in Turkey has also significantly expanded in recent years. However, this fact has often been overlooked in the public debate, and it has remained in the shadow of Hamas.

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Palestinian Islamic Jihad has secured a significant foothold in Turkey thanks to the Erdogan government - Nordic Research and Monitoring Network