Mediaboss Marketing

Had we advanced further south, Cyprus would have fallen entirely under our control, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said when he addressed the staff of the 4th Army Corps in Ankara, making controversial remarks about Cyprus and emphasizing the importance of military strength.

During an iftar dinner, marking the break of fasting during Ramadan, Erdogan reflected on Turkeys military intervention in Cyprus in 1974. He argued that without Turkeys intervention, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and Turkish Cypriots would not exist today. Erdogan even suggested that if Turkey had advanced further south, Cyprus would be entirely under Turkish control.

Erdogans statements come on the heels of the 109th anniversary of the Battle of Gallipoli, a significant event in Turkish history. He stressed the necessity of a strong military, stating that it is not a choice but an obligation for Turkey. Erdogan emphasized the importance of maintaining a deterrent capability to protect against enemies.

The presidents remarks have sparked controversy, particularly regarding Turkeys stance on Cyprus and its military posture.

Source: ANA-MPA, Translated by: Konstantinos Menyktas

Read the rest here:
Erdoan: Had we advanced further south, Cyprus would have fallen entirely under our control - Orthodox Times - Orthodoxtimes.com

Abdullah Bozkurt/Stockholm

Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya avoided addressing a parliamentary question regarding a reported secret meeting of senior Hamas officials in Turkey, a country known to provide safe haven for Hamas leaders and members.

On December 17, 2023 the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation (KAN) reported that senior Hamas figures, including Deputy Chairman of the Political Bureau Hamas Saleh al-Arouri and former Hamas chief Khaled Mashal, held a secret coordination meeting in Turkey in early December.

The venue was selected for security reasons, as Turkey, under the leadership of Islamist President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has become a major supporter of the Palestinian jihadist organization, offering sanctuary for Hamas figures.

The claim was brought up in the Turkish parliament on December 18 by Sreyya ne Derici, a retired intelligence officer from the National Intelligence Organization (MIT) who currently serves as a member of parliament from the opposition Republican Peoples Party (CHP) and sits on the parliamentary Committee for Security and Intelligence.

Derici inquired if such a meeting could potentially pose risks to Turkeys national security and sought clarification on whether Turkish officials were present at the meeting. She also questioned whether the Interior Ministry had any knowledge of the gathering from its sources.

Parliamentary question posed to Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya on secret Hamas meeting in Turkey:

Turkish law mandates that parliamentary questions be answered by cabinet ministers within 15 days; however, Yerlikaya allowed the deadline to pass without responding. On January 30 he sent a belated letter to parliament stating that the subject matter did not fall within his purview as interior minister.

What is more, Yerlikaya included his response with 19 other parliamentary questions directed to him, answering all with a single sentence indicating that none fell under his jurisdiction.

Its inconceivable that the Interior Ministry, responsible for immigration and overseeing entry and exit points for foreigners through border checkpoints, harbors, airports and land crossings, was unaware of the travels of Hamas members to Turkey. By law, the Directorate General of Migration Management, under the Interior Ministrys supervision, handles the entry, stay, exit and deportation of foreigners to and from Turkey.

The ministry also oversees the countrys largest law enforcement agency, the Security Directorate General (Emniyet), which includes a specialized intelligence branch responsible for gathering vast amounts of intelligence throughout Turkey.

Furthermore, the directorate provides protection details for VIPs, visiting dignitaries and visitors considered to be at risk as well as implementing security measures in and around venues requiring protection.

If Hamas leaders had indeed convened such a meeting, personnel from the Security Directorate General would have been intimately involved in their security arrangements.

Its no secret that the Erdogan government shelters Hamas leaders and members in Turkey, facilitates their networks, aids in fundraising activities and has even granted Turkish citizenship to dozens of Hamas leaders. President Erdogan openly declares his support for Hamas and repeatedly expresses his anti-Israel stance in his speeches.

Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikayas response to the claim of a secret Hamas meeting in Turkey:

The last instance of Erdogan endorsing Hamas was on March 9, 2024, during a speech at a convention organized by the Islamist lim Yayma Vakf foundation in Istanbul. He stated, Turkey openly and firmly stands behind Hamas, freely discussing everything with its leaders.

Erdogan rejected the designation of Hamas as a terrorist organization, saying, We courageously declared to the whole world that such a black stain cannot be cast upon Palestinian militants who defend their land, their honor and their own people. No one can make us use the term terrorist organization for Hamas.

Threats made by Israeli officials to Hamas leaders under protection in Turkey also prompted a strong response from Turkey. During a press briefing on his return flight from Qatar on December 4, 2023, Erdogan said, If they dare to take such a step against Turkey and the Turkish people, they will be doomed to pay a price from which they cannot recover.

The Turkish president was responding to a Wall Street Journal article that claimed Israel was planning to target and kill Hamas members residing outside Palestine. He warned that those attempting such actions should be mindful of the potentially severe consequences.

In an unusual move, Turkish intelligence also addressed the claims through the state-run Anadolu news agency, stating unequivocally that it would never permit any plots orchestrated by Israeli intelligence to be carried out in Turkey.

In a recording aired by public broadcaster KAN in early December, Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar said Israel was determined to kill Hamass leaders in every location in the world, including Qatar, Turkey and Lebanon, even if it takes many years.

Al-Arouri, who participated remotely in the secret Hamas meeting held in Turkey in December from his location in Lebanon, was killed in an Israeli strike on January 2. He was the founding commander of the Hamas military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, and had been residing in Turkey, maintaining close contact with the top leadership of the Turkish government, including President Erdogan.

According to KAN, Hamas leadership felt confident that their security would not be compromised if they held a coordination meeting in Turkey to discuss steps for the ongoing conflict with Israel, which began on October 7, 2023, following Hamas attacks on Israeli military and civilian targets. In the assault, Hamas fighters killed approximately 1,200 people and kidnapped 250 others.

There were also allegations that Hamas leaders were present in Turkey during the October attack. Speaking to CNN International on December 14, the Turkish presidents chief foreign policy and security adviser, Akif aatay Kl, conceded that Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh might have been in Turkey at the time. The issue is not where [Hamas members] are at what time; the issue is how we can resolve the conflict that were currently facing, the war that were currently engaged in, he said.

He defended his governments decision to host senior Hamas figures, claiming that Turkey is engaging with Hamas to bring about peace.

Turkeys intelligence agency MIT has reportedly established a specialized anti-Mossad unit comprising veteran officers. The assertion was made by Abdurrahman imek, identified as a public relations agent and propagandist for MIT. imek has been operating under the cover of a journalist at the Sabah daily, a media outlet considered a mouthpiece for the regime and owned by Erdogans family.

Within the organization [MIT] is a highly active and experienced unit engaged in the fight against Mossad. There are teams that are quite skilled, shall we say. They are aware of every step Mossad takes, imek said in an interview published by Sabah.

Since 2021, Turkey has carried out five planned police and intelligence operations against alleged Israeli intelligence activities on Turkish soil, resulting in criminal prosecutions. The operations were aimed at cracking down on surveillance activities attributed to Mossad that targeted Iranian, Hamas and affiliated groups operating out of Turkey.

Go here to see the original:
Erdogan government feigned ignorance about secret Hamas meeting in Turkey - Nordic Research and Monitoring Network

ANKARA Egyptian-Turkish relations continued their positive turn on Wednesday whenTurkeys President Recep Tayyip Erdogan made a first visit to Cairo since 2012, praising his once nemesis Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and calling him esteemed brother.

The mood was clear in the optics and the agenda of the visit. Sisi welcomed the Turkish leader at a Cairo airport, departing from traditional diplomatic protocol.

A red-carpet welcome reception and ceremony at Al-Ittihadiya Palace followed.

At the press conference later, Erdogan hailed the new chapter.

I believe that this visit will be a new turning point in our relations, Erdogan said at the joint presser, flanked by Sisi.

The Egyptian leader echoed the message. We can open a new page together between our countries in a way that enriches our bilateral relations and puts them on the right track, Sisi said.

The two countries inked several cooperation deals including in tourism, culture and education on the sidelines of the summit. The two capitals fully restored their diplomatic ties by appointing mutual ambassadors in July after a decade-long hiatus.

Reiterating the countries previously set goal to raise their bilateral trade volume, which currently stands at $10 billion, to $15 as soon as possible, Erdogan went on, Trade and economy have been the locomotive of our cooperation.

Adding that the two countries shared serious potential in thedefense industry, the Turkish leader said, I believe that we will develop joint projects with Egypt through our cooperation in this field. He did not elaborate further.

Earlier this month, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, who joined Erdogan during the trip along with Defense Minister Yasar Guler and Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek, announced that his country would soon begin drone exports to Egypt.

Sisi said the two countries would also seek to enhance joint investments and open new areas of cooperation.

The two leaders also reached an agreement to elevate the strategic cooperation council mechanism between the two countries, Erdogan said.

I told my esteemed brother that I was waiting to see him in Ankara at the earliest opportunity to hold our council meeting.

United front on Gaza

Presenting a united front over the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, both leaders reiterated calls for an immediate cease-fire.

The humanitarian tragedy in the Palestinian territories topped our agenda. ... Our priority is to achieve a cease-fire as soon as possible and to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza without any obstacles, Erdogan said.

Sisi described Turkey and Egypt as centers of gravity in the region in a way that contributes to achieving peace, establishing stability.

Erdogan and Sisi also pledged to deepen contacts on files that caused previous tensions, including the Libyan civil war, in which the two capitals backed rival groups.

We also stressed the need to strengthen consultations between the two countries on the Libyan file in order to help hold presidential and legislative elections and unify the countrys military establishment, Sisi said.

Prior to a 2020 cease-fire, Ankara provided military support to the countrys Tripoli-based government against the Libyan National Army of eastern commander Khalifa Hifter, who is backed by Egypt, Russia and the United Arab Emirates.

Calm in Eastern Mediterranean

A controversial 2019 maritime delineation agreement between Turkey and Libyas Tripoli-based government prompted Egypt and Greece to sign a counteragreement last year, raising tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean over conflicting territorial claims between Ankara and Athens.

Hailing ongoing Turkish-Greek rapprochement that emerged after the devastating twin Feb. 6, 2023, earthquakes, Sisi said his country was looking forward to building on the calm in the Eastern Mediterranean and to resolve the existing differences between the countries bordering the region in a bid to make the most of the natural resources available there.

Erdogan's one-day visit is the first Egyptian-Turkish leaders summit since 2012. Following the military coup in Egypt in 2013 that overthrew the Muslim Brotherhood government led by late President Mohammed Morsi an ally of Turkey the relationship between Cairo and Ankara was curtailed. Following Erdogan's reelection in June, the two countries fully restored their diplomatic ties in July. In November, Erdogan and Sisi met on the sidelines of the G20 summit in India.

This is a breaking story and has been updated since its initial publication.

See the rest here:
Turkey's Erdogan receives red-carpet reception in Egypt, calls Sisi 'brother' - Al-Monitor

Were really pleased that youve read X Times of Israel articles in the past month.

Thats why we started the Times of Israel eleven years ago - to provide discerning readers like you with must-read coverage of Israel and the Jewish world.

So now we have a request. Unlike other news outlets, we havent put up a paywall. But as the journalism we do is costly, we invite readers for whom The Times of Israel has become important to help support our work by joining The Times of Israel Community.

For as little as $6 a month you can help support our quality journalism while enjoying The Times of Israel AD-FREE, as well as accessing exclusive content available only to Times of Israel Community members.

Thank you, David Horovitz, Founding Editor of The Times of Israel

View original post here:
Visiting Cairo, Erdogan says Turkey will cooperate with Egypt on rebuilding Gaza - The Times of Israel

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks during the World Governments Summit in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2024. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has offered a blistering criticism of Israel, demanding it immediately recognize an independent Palestinian state and halt its war in the Gaza Strip against Hamas. (Kamran Jebreili/AP)

CAIRO Turkeys President Recep Tayyip Edrogan held talks in Cairo on Wednesday with his Egyptian counterpart in efforts to rally support for growing demands in the region that Israel halt its war against Hamas in Gaza.

Erdogans visit comes as ties between Ankara and Cairo are back on track after years of tensions and frosty relations. Turkey has long been a backer of the pan-Islamist Muslim Brotherhood group, which has been outlawed as a terrorist organization in Egypt.

The Turkish leader arrived in the Egyptian capital after visiting on Tuesday the United Arab Emirates, where he met with UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Erdogan met with President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi at Cairos Ittihadiya palace, according to Egypts state-run media. Their talks focused on bilateral relations and regional challenges, especially efforts to stop the war in Gaza, el-Sissi later said at a joint news conference.

We agreed on the need for an immediate cease-fire (in Gaza) and the need to achieve calm in the West Bank to relaunch Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, the Egyptian president said.

Erdogans visit to Cairo is his first in over a decade. Egypt and Turkey fell out after the Egyptian military in 2013 ousted Islamist President Mohammed Morsi, who hailed from the Muslim Brotherhood, amid mass protest against his divisive one year of rule.

Ankara abandoned its criticism of el-Sissis government over the past years as it tried to repair frayed ties with Egypt and other Arab heavyweights. In November 2022, Erdogan and el-Sissi were photographed shaking hands during the World Cup in Qatar.

The war in Gaza has reached a critical point, with an impeding Israeli offensive on the city of Rafah, along the Gaza Strips border with Egypt, where some 1.4 million people over half the territorys population are crammed into tent camps and overflowing apartments and shelters.

Egypt is concerned that a ground assault on Rafah would push hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians across the border and into Egypts Sinai Peninsula. It has threatened to suspend the countrys decades-old peace treaty with Israel.

Egypt, together with Qatar and the United States, a key Israel ally, has been working to try and broker a cease-fire and the return of the remaining 130 hostages held by Hamas, around a fourth of whom are believed to be dead. The negotiators held talks in Cairo on Tuesday but there were no signs of a breakthrough.

The war began with Hamas assault into Israel on Oct. 7, in which the militants killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted around 250. The overall Palestinian death toll in Gaza has now surpassed 28,000 people, according to the Health Ministry in Gaza, and a quarter of the territorys residents are starving.

Before the region is exposed to harsher threats, we need to stop the massacre in Gaza now, Erdogan said at the World Governments Summit in Dubai on Tuesday.

More:
Turkey's Erdogan visits Egypt as ties are back in full swing after a decade of tensions - Stars and Stripes