Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has brought the Israeli government and its supporters closer to Nazi Germany. The verbal blow marks the culmination of his staged antipathy toward the Jewish state thus far — and roundaboutly tests the West’s security.
After being left out as a mediator in the current conflict in the Middle East, the Turkish president has since attracted attention with anti-Israel slogans. On Wednesday, he compared the Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip to the Nazis’ mistreatment of the Jewish population, state news agency Anadolu reported.
‘But what’s the difference with Hitler? They make us miss Hitler. Is what this Netanyahu is doing less than what Hitler did? It is not,” Erdogan said at an event in Ankara.
Erdogan and ‘Hitler’s ghost’
The escalation does not really come as a surprise, as the Bosphorus ruler has had domestic political success with similar equations in the past. But his current derailments have a new quality because of the situation.
Over the years, Erdogan has accused Israel of “keeping Hitler’s spirit alive.” The 69-year-old is considered an outspoken supporter of the terrorist group Hamas. In the past, Turkey not only acted as a harbor for terrorists, but also helped set up a lucrative network of companies, according to research by the New York Times.
A rhetorical conflagration
Erdogan’s actions have been destabilizing his Western partners in NATO for months. In a roundabout way, his escapades could further prolong Sweden’s accession. Just like Vladimir Putin. Turkey and Hungary have still not confirmed the acceptance of the Scandinavians in the defense alliance.
Erdogan is trying to blackmail an arms deal with the US for F16 fighter jets in exchange for his green light. The problem: Lawmakers in Washington DC already had doubts about his integrity before his recent inflammatory speeches against Israel. Tensions with Greece are particularly worrying.
Erdogan is trying to defuse the situation, at least on this front. Greece and Turkey signed a declaration of friendship in early December. It was agreed, among other things, to double the trade volume between the two neighboring countries and NATO members to $10 billion over the next five years.
A disastrous purchase
Turkey’s aging air force is reeling from Ankara’s expulsion from the US-led F-35 program in 2019. The expulsion was in retaliation for Erdogan’s decision to buy a Russian missile defense system from Putin, which NATO considered a threat to operational security.
US President Joe Biden’s administration has repeatedly pledged to continue selling $20 billion worth of F-16s. However, Erdogan’s escapades reduce the options for action. Because the president, who has been labeled a “blackmailer,” cannot afford a Greek-style accommodative course with the rest of Europe on domestic policy.
Solidarity with the people of the Gaza Strip is one of the few agreements that the divided Turkish society can agree on. Erdogan is taking advantage of this fact. His hateful tirades against Israel are also an expression of his own weakness.
Erdogan presents himself as the voice of the oppressed
On Wednesday, the Turkish president called for the West to bow to an Israeli Nazi regime. “What did they do with all that support? They killed more than 20,000 people in Gaza.”
The Gaza conflict is a test in which Western states, institutions, media, the United Nations Security Council and the EU have all failed. “Just as it was in Nazi Germany 80 years ago, today the scientists who have the courage to address the atrocities in Gaza are being oppressed and threatened.”
Turkey is willing to accept academics and scientists who would be persecuted for their views on the Gaza conflict. Israel withdrew its diplomats from the Bosphorus at the end of October. Since then, Jews have been urged to leave Turkey as soon as possible.
When words are followed by terror
Erdogan’s words are not only extremely dangerous for Israel. The rest of the Western world will also feel the consequences. After Vladimir Putin, another influential leader is bringing the West closer to a fictional Nazi regime. It is known how many people believed the Kremlin chief then and now: Ukraine is currently fighting for its survival.
Terror warning systems have been stepped up in Europe. Erdogan is apparently not interested in defusing the situation.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
