Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan launched a harsh criticism of Israel on Sunday, saying: "We see what is happening in Palestine. May Allah destroy Zionist Israel in his holy name. We must see what is happening there, and therefore, we must unite, be strong, and be brothers here. May Allah always strengthen our unity."
Erdogan made these remarks after visiting a mosque to mark the holiday of Eid al-Fitr, the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
live
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan wish for the destruction of Israel
Dr. Hay Eytan Cohen Yanarocak, a Turkey expert at Tel Aviv University's Dayan Center, reacted to Erdogan's statement, saying: "As far as I remember, this is not the first time he has said something like this, but it is shocking. Here we have a head of state who is explicitly calling for Israel's destruction. However, he frames it as a wish in Allah's name rather than saying he would do it himself."
Regarding Erdogan’s choice of words, Yanarocak explained: "Allah has 100 names, and one of them is 'Al-Qahhar,' which means 'The Destroyer.' Erdogan is essentially saying: We have reached the end of the holiday, and instead of using the word Allah, he uses 'Al-Qahhar,' whose role is clear—to bring about Israel’s destruction."
Erdogan, who is currently facing mass opposition protests in Turkey, has made particularly aggressive statements against Israel during the war in Gaza. Earlier this month, as Israel resumed military operations, he labeled it a "terror state" and said Turkey supports diplomatic efforts to maintain a ceasefire.
Get the Ynetnews app on your smartphone: Google Play: https://bit.ly/4eJ37pE | Apple App Store: https://bit.ly/3ZL7iNv
During the war, Erdogan also compared Israel to the Nazis. "They have already surpassed Hitler. Against those who continue to call Hamas a terrorist organization while seeking Israel’s sympathy, we will continue to support the Palestinian struggle for independence under all circumstances and defend it courageously. Maybe we cannot announce everything we are doing, but I can say that our sensitivity toward Palestine cannot be underestimated," he said.
Last year, speaking before the Turkish parliament, Erdogan declared: "Anyone who speaks against us will be ashamed in the end. From this podium, I salute the Palestinian struggle and commemorate all the heroes of the Palestinian people who have fallen since October 7."