With harsh language, the Turkish president once again attacked the Prime Minister of Israel, raising the tone both on the Palestinian issue and on the issues of the Eastern Mediterranean, the Aegean and Cyprus with an indirect reference to the tripartite Greece-Israel-Cyprus.
From the stage of the enlarged meeting of the heads of the AKP Prefectural Committees, Erdogan directly accused the Israeli leadership of carrying “the blood of 70,000 Palestinians” and made it clear that Turkey is not going to change its strategy under any pressure.
“We don’t usurp rights, but we don’t give them away”
The Turkish president reiterated Ankara’s standing positions, stating that “whether in the Eastern Mediterranean or the Aegean or anywhere else, we do not violate anyone’s rights, but neither do we allow ours to be violated.” He made special reference to the Turkish Cypriots, stressing that Turkey will not allow “the encroachment and violation of their rights and interests”, regardless of agreements, signatures or political messages broadcast by third parties.
In the same context, he underlined that Ankara is not bound by moves it considers hostile to its interests, noting that “none of this changes our policy”.
Attack against the backdrop of statements about “Ottoman restoration”
Erdogan’s remarks come in the wake of a heated confrontation sparked by Benjamin Netanyahu’s claims that Turkey is trying to “restore” the Ottoman Empire in the Middle East. The Turkish presidency reacted immediately, with Communications Director Burhanettin Duran speaking of “irony” when, he said, Israeli leaders accuse others of imperialist ambitions while “they have committed one of the worst genocides in history.”
Duran called Israel a “destabilizing force” and blamed the Netanyahu government for “blood and tears” in the region, accusing it of territorial ambitions in Palestine and Syria. By contrast, he presented Turkey under Erdogan as a “source of stability and peace.”
“We are not trapped and we will not be trapped”
In his speech, Erdogan adopted a strong historical and national tone, emphasizing that Turkey has been in this geography since 1071, having paid a heavy price to survive for a thousand years. At the same time, he assured that Ankara will not succumb to provocations or be “trapped” in scenarios that, in its estimation, aim to limit its influence.
Support for Gaza and a message of intransigence
The Turkish president reiterated that Turkey is not limited to prayers for Gaza, but will increase aid to the Palestinians and “will not leave” the region alone. “We will not yield, we will not be silent, we will not forget,” he said, hardening his rhetoric towards Israel even more.
Condolences on the plane tragedy
At the start of his speech, Erdogan expressed his deep sorrow over the crash of a plane near Ankara carrying the Chief of General Staff of the Tripoli government of Libya, Lt. Gen. Mohammed Ali Ahmed al-Haddad, along with his entourage.
Ankara’s escalation of rhetoric comes amid a wider geopolitical backdrop of rising tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East, with Turkey seeking to make clear it has no intention of revising its long-standing positions, despite international pressure and bitter standoffs.
