He issued the condemnation on Nov. 15, two days before he visited Germany to meet German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. Addressing members of the unicameral Turkish Grand National Assembly, Erdogan remarked: "With the savagery of bombing the civilians it forced out of their homes while they are relocating, it is literally employing state terrorism. I am now saying, with my heart at ease, that Israel is a terror state."
"We will never shy away from voicing the truth that Hamas members protecting their lands, honor and lives in the face of occupation policies are resistance fighters, just because some people are uncomfortable with it. The West, namely the U.S., is unfortunately still seeing this issue backwards."
Erdogan reiterated that Israel was committing war crimes and violating international law with its indiscriminate bombing of the Gaza Strip. The Jewish-majority nation's military campaign against Hamas – formally the Islamic Resistance Movement – included "the most treacherous attacks in human history" with "unlimited" support from the West, he continued.
Erdogan then called for Israeli leaders to be tried for war crimes at the International Court of Justice in The Hague. He also stressed that Hamas is not a terrorist organization, but a political party that won past elections – a sentiment reflected by Ankara at large. (Related: Turkish leader pushes to end conflict in Gaza Strip, calls Israel a WAR CRIMINAL.)
According to Reuters, several states – such as the U.S., the United Kingdom, the European Union and some Arab countries – deem Hamas a terrorist group. In contrast, Turkey hosts some members of Hamas and supports a two-state solution to the conflict between Israel and Palestine.
Erdogan on a roll against Israel
The Turkish president's trip to Germany will be his first to a Western nation since Israel began bombing Gaza on Oct. 7, in retaliation for Hamas' attack. Berlin has expressed strong solidarity with Jerusalem, while urging a focus on limiting the impact of military offensives on civilians in the Gaza Strip.
After his Nov. 15 address before the Turkish parliament, Erdogan spoke to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. According to Erdogan's office, he told her that Ankara expected Rome's support in achieving a ceasefire in Gaza. Meloni's office said she had called for rapid de-escalation in Gaza, adding that Turkey had a crucial role in preventing the spread of the conflict.
Moreover, Erdogan said he would call leaders of the countries who abstained from an October vote at the United Nations General Assembly on the issue of an aid truce in Gaza. He also exhorted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to announce whether or not Israel had nuclear weapons. Erdogan warned that the Israeli leader would soon be a "goner" from his post.
The Turkish leader also compared the conflict between Jewish Israel and the Palestinians to a war between the Christian and Muslim worlds, adding that the crisis was "a matter of cross and crescent." He added that Ankara would also take steps to ensure Israeli settlers in occupied Palestinian territories are recognized as "terrorists."
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Watch Palki Sharma of Firstpost report on Erdogan's remarks about Israel being a "terror state" below.
This video is from the High Hopes channel on Brighteon.com.
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