Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whose relations with Israel are an unsteady whirligig, up, down, and around and where it will stop nobody knows – has now let loose with a barrage of criticism against Israel for its just-completed Operation Breaking Dawn. This comes after many months when Erdogan had been reaching out to Jerusalem, in the hope both of establishing an agreement with the Jewish state on gas fields and maritime economic zones in the eastern Mediterranean, and on promoting Turkey as a way-station for Israeli natural gas being sent to Europe. During that honeymoon, Erdogan hosted Israeli President Isaac Herzog, and spoke of cooperation on energy with Israel.
A report on Ankara’s condemnation is here: “Turkey Blasts Israeli Military Action Against Islamists in Gaza,” Algemeiner, August 8, 2022:
Speaking on Sunday ahead of the announcement of a ceasefire in the fighting, Erdogan told a group of foreign ambassadors at his residence that he had taken “a clear stance against the attacks by Israeli security forces targeting Gaza and Gazan civilians.”
Describing the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem as “our red line,” the Turkish leader declared: “There is no excuse for killing children, babies in swaddling clothes. Turkey stands by the Palestinian people and their Gazan brothers.”
Israel’s campaign to prevent Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorists from attacking Israeli civilians had nothing to do with Al-Aqsa Mosque. Al- Aqsa is always brought up by assorted Muslim leaders to whip up their followers into a hysterical frenzy, as Erdogan was attempting here. Nothing has changed on the Temple Mount; the status quo remains, which prohibits Jewish visitors from bringing prayer books or tefillin to the Mount, where they are still prohibited from saying prayers either aloud or silently mouthing them. Erdogan chooses to ignore Israel’s determination not to offend Muslim sensibilities on the Temple Mount, even at the cost of preventing Jewish prayer at the holiest site in Judaism.
The IDF estimated Monday that about 51 people were killed in Gaza during the three-day round of hostilities, including 24 affiliated with the Islamic Jihad.
Of the 27 civilians killed, an IDF spokesperson said that 15 were killed by errant rockets fired by Palestinian militants that fell short within the enclave. The military has released footage of one particularly deadly explosion in the Jabaliya refugee camp that killed several civilians, including four children, which was caused by a failed PIJ rocket.
The release by the IDF of the footage showing clearly that a PIJ rocket had misfired and landed in the Jabaliya camp, killing civilians, including at least four children, should have been enough to convince the media that some of the civilian casualties were caused by the PIJ’s own rockets, falling short and landing in Gaza. About 200 of the 1,100 rockets fired by the PIJ are known to have landed in Gaza, though the exact number of civilians they hit is not known and certainly will never be released by the PIJ. But some Palestinians in Gaza have now dared openly to complain about the civilians killed by the PIJ’s rocket misfirings, and have said they are sick and tired of the war the PIJ has brought upon them. The IDF, which has a habit of telling the truth, insists that more civilians were killed by PIJ’s misfired rockets than by the IDF.
During previous upsurges of fighting between the IDF and Islamist groups in Gaza, Erdogan has frequently accused Israeli forces of deliberately killing Palestinian children. In 2019, during clashes on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, Erodgan slammed then Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu as a “tyrant who massacred seven-year-old Palestinian children.” In May 2021, Erdogan earned a rebuke from the US State Department for his “reprehensible antisemitic comments” when he denounced Israeli as “murderers [who] kill six-year-old babies, murderers [who] make women crawl on the ground.”
In the 2021 Gaza war, Israel made endless efforts to minimize civilian casualties, while Hamas did everything to maximize them, by placing its weapons and rocket launchers inside, or next to, civilian structures, including kindergartens, schools, hospitals, even mosques, where it hoped Israel would strike and cause civilian casualties that could then be used in a propaganda campaign against the Jewish state. Meanwhile, Israel did everything it could to minimize harm to civilians by warning them away in time from sites about to be targeted, using telephoning, leafletting, emailing, and the “knock-on-the-roof” technique. Erdogan knows of this Israeli practice of warning civilians, but chooses to ignore it. And he knows that the same extensive effort by Israel to warn civilians to leave areas about to be targeted were made during Operation Breaking Dawn.
In recent weeks, Israeli-Turkish relations have thawed against the background of a visit to Ankara by Israeli President Isaac Herzog. Following their discussions, Erdogan affirmed his desire to retain ties with Israel, arguing that “strong relations with Israel are key to defending Palestinian rights.”…
“Israel has martyred innocent Palestinian children, women, civilians and many people, as they have done before, in front of the whole world. In fact, what they are doing under the name of a [anti] terrorist operation is the practice of a terrorist state,” Numan Kurtulmus stated over the weekend.
“The world should at least stop the consequences of these policies that aim to drive the Palestinians out of their homes and their ancestral lands, which is a state policy of Israel and does not recognize the Palestinians’ right to life,” Kurtulmus said.
Israel is not trying to drive the Palestinians out of either Gaza – where not a single Israeli has lived since 2005— or out of the West Bank, where the Palestinians govern themselves in Areas A and B. Alas, they do not enjoy the rights that Israeli Arabs possess. Instead, they are ruled by the corrupt and thieving PA rulers, led by. Mahmoud Abbas, whose despotism they have endured for 17 years, without any prospect of elections to remove him. The Palestinian population in both Gaza and the West Bank has steadily increased since 1967, undermining the claim of an Israeli “state policy” to “drive the Palestinians out of their homes.” There is not, of course, any such policy. Erdogan’s mind cannot bear too much reality.
A few month from now, as Turkish temper tantrums die down over Operation Breaking Dawn, Erdogan is likely to again return to his previous charm offensive toward Israel. He wants to establish a Turkish-Israeli understanding on maritime economic zones in the Mediterranean. He also would like Israeli gas, which according to present plans is to be sent to Egypt, where it will be turned into LNG, and then sent northward, via Greece, to Europe, to instead be sent from Egypt to Turkey, where the liquefied natural gas will be changed back into a gas before being sent by pipeline to Europe. Finally, Erdogan sees improved ties with Israel as helping Ankara in Washington, where the Turks believe Israel’s political power is great; he would like it to be employed on Turkey’s behalf as well. On this, he has a point. Let’s hope he doesn’t forget it.
mortimer says
Hugh Fitzgerald colorfully characterizes Erdogan’s incoherent Israel policies as a ‘whirligig’. For me, this is the dance of a whirling dervish!
When will the Turkish people decide it’s time for this dizzy, destructive dope to get off the pot?
He’s wrecked the Turkish economy and brought harsh authoritarian rule to Turkey. Turkey deserves a better leader than this guy. Surely they can do better.
Sunny Imarhiagbe says
Why must Israel listen to a lowlife like erdogan? He’s just a bull dog barking without teeth. If he is fighting the Palestinian course, let him take them into his country, since he so love them!
Infidel says
More importantly, why hasn’t Israel taken the initiative and simply terminated diplomatic relations w/ Turkey? Are they so blind not to see that the Kemalist Turkey which at least put on a show of being pro-Israel is dead?
mgoldberg says
Erdogan feeds the frenzy of Islamic dystopian culture. It is always the non muslim who must be seen as preventing by any means necessary for the ‘holy’ islamic peoples to advance. Literally, that’s all it ever amounts too. For example, here, the jihadists firing rockets into Israel, obviously aiming at civilian targets get no self critical notice by any muslim entity. They’re always oppressed from ‘advancing’ their hegemony, and can be seen in no other way. And here Erdogan goes off like some frenzied child- which is all that any muslim leader can advance- the muslim whine.
If we could only sneer and laugh at how much they ruin their own nations and especially all the non muslims who are forced to live under their thumbs, then we’d have legs to stand on and fight the real fight against this total ignorance and hatred of Islam, and the left.
gravenimage says
+1
Westman says
Whirligig behavior? Maybe Erdogan is just a Showman politician with an act for every occasion.
BT says
That would be Zelensky… perhaps his next job, from exile, will be head-of-state street theater. But who would pay?
gravenimage says
Sounds as though you hate people defending themselves, as well. Oh, and Ukraine is actually doing very well in defending about the brutal invasion of their nation. I suppose you find a former comedian taking a brave stand against this particularly galling.
BT says
I am not falling for the blatant propaganda issuing from Ukraine, and parroted by western media and governments, that ignores the responsibility of NATO and Ukraine for this war. The quickest way to end the conflict is to recognize Russia’s legitimate security concerns and reach a compromise solution. Instead, we prolong the war by propping up a dysfunctional government and providing weapons that Ukraine is running out of soldiers to use. Ukraine is not doing well at all.
Bexarkat says
Meanwhile, this pillar of ethics has no problem slaughtering Kurds.
gravenimage says
Yep.
john smith says
This wanna be caliph is going to make his move shortly, he’s going to try to unite the muslim world behind him. A very, very, dangerous man indeed.
BT says
He will… but his Turkish ancestors are (shall we say) so unpopular with both Arabs and Persians that his chances are very slim. No pun intended.
Infidel says
You are right about the Arabs and Iran. But he should have no problems getting fellow Turks to his side – he’s already succeeded w/ Azerbaijan. Also, if you look at it not in terms of the number of countries but in terms of the world muslim populations, he’s gotten the support of countries like Pakistan and Malaysia, which have significant percentages of the world’s muslim population, and muslim populations in Bangladesh, India, Indonesia as well. In short, if the title of caliph were up for a popular vote, he’d have a good chance of succeeding
john smith says
As you are well aware Infidel muslims cannot get on with no one, they can’t even get on with their fellow muslims, and this is one of the reasons they have not had a caliph for the last 100 years. I believe Erdogan could well make some sort of move this coming November, but having said that I hope and pray that I’m wrong.
gravenimage says
Even most Muslims don’t want him as a Caliph.
john smith says
The muslim world are crying out for a caliph, and seen as the last caliph ruled from Turkey he does tick a few boxes.
gravenimage says
True, John. But most Arab Muslims actually *hated* the Turkish Ottomans, and fought for independence (I won’t say freedom, but still) as soon as the Caliphate was weak enough for them to have a chance.
Like all pious Muslims, they are hoping for a new Caliphate–but most would not accept one headed by Erdogan.
john smith says
I hope the caliphate will never be revived, but some scholars on Biblical prophecy believe it will, and they also believe it will be lead by Turkey.
I’ve pointed out before how Erdogan has a thing about dates, so if he is going to make his move and try to be the next caliph it will be on November 1st 2022 exactly 100 years after the caliphate was abolished, or 24 July 2023 exactly 100 years after the dissolution of the ottoman empire. We will just have to wait see. I will certainly feel a lot more relieved when these two dates have passed and there is still no caliph and still no ottoman empire, that’s what I’m hoping for.
somehistory says
If the “caliphate” is the head of the beast that was injured, but “healed,” then it will rise again, but shortly be destroyed.
Revelation 13
“The Beast out of the Sea”
“3 One of the heads of the beast seemed to have had a fatal wound, but the fatal wound had been healed. The whole world was filled with wonder and followed the beast. 4”
“The Seven Bowls of God’s Wrath
16
“2 The first angel went and poured out his bowl on the land, and ugly, festering sores broke out on the people who had the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. 13 Then I saw three impure spirits that looked like frogs; they came out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 14 They are demonic spirits that perform signs, and they go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them for the battle on the great day of God Almighty.’
this is what we are seeing today, and will soon see.
john smith says
Yes Somehistory, the beast that received a wound to the head is the islamic beast, (ottoman empire) and the wound was healed, indicates it’s revival.
gravenimage says
Erdogan Blasts Israel For Defending Itself
…………………………………..
Of course he does–damned thug.
Walter Sieruk says
Recep Tayyip Erdogan is only exposing his own Islamic bais and ignorance by saying such a fool statement. For the government military officials of the State of Israel do have every right to come down on those malice-filled vicious jihadists of Islamic Jihad with brute force . For this is an important and necessary thing because the jihadists cannot and will not respond to reason or logic,
Therefore the use of brute military force is the only language that the dangerous malicious Muslim members of that Islamic terror/murder entity will understand.
So, a preemptive strikes or retaliatory strikes at that jihad deadly terror network are the wise , just and right thing to do. To send those jihadists a message in the only way that they are able to comprehend. Which is “Don’t murder our people in your jihad and no harm will come upon you”
In other words the strong message sent of force is “Don’t murder again.”
Those military strikes the State of Israel is ,in realty , an action of self-defence.
As the former US President , James Monroe , in a speech had ,rightly, declared “The right of self-defence never ceases. It is among the most sacred, and alike necessary to nations and to individuals.”
Tyler says
Turkey used American F-16 jets, drones that contained NATO countries’ parts, and known international terrorists against Armenians in 2020.
Neither Trump nor Biden has said anything about this.
So much for American principle.
gravenimage says
No civilized nations should sell Muslims weapons. They will just use them against their victims in most cases.