Israel–Turkey relations

With channels of communication between Athens and Ankara open due to the agreed summit in Thessaloniki on December 7 in the presence of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Greek government is closely watching his latest statements with concern, as he once again ups the ante with Israel and the West.

Hundreds of thousands of people gathered at a pro-Palestinian rally arranged by the ruling Justice and Development Party's (AKP) Istanbul organization on Oct. 28.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan delivered a long address during the event held at Istanbul's Atatürk airport, condemning both Israel and Western nations for the recent events in Gaza.

Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen has announced that Israeli diplomats, including Ambassador Irit Lillian, have returned to Israel for the reevaluation of ties with Türkiye following grave statements from Turkish officials over the ongoing Israeli military offensive against Gaza.

A day before the 100th anniversary of the Republic of Turkey, Istanbul's old airport saw perhaps the world's largest rally in defense of the Palestinians, where President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called Israel an occupier and a perpetrator of war crimes for three weeks.

Israel said Saturday that it was recalling its diplomats from Turkey over "increasingly harsh statements" coming from the government in Ankara.

The announcement came after Turkey's president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, told a massive protest crowd in Istanbul that his government was preparing to declare Israel a "war criminal" due to its actions in the Gaza Strip. 

Hamas is a terrorist organization that does not express the Palestinian people, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis told reporters on Friday, after the end of a two-day EU Summit in Brussels.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan discussed the Israeli-Hamas war with Pope Francis on Thursday, telling the head of the Catholic Church that Israel's attacks on Gaza have "reached the level of a massacre" and that the international community's silence was a "shame for humanity."

The Turkish president attacked Israel and Netanyahu, saying: “The West may owe you a lot, but Turkey owes you nothing, the Israeli president abused our goodwill”

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday that Palestinian militant group Hamas is not a terrorist organization but a liberation group waging a battle to protect its land.

In a speech to his party's lawmakers in parliament, Erdogan said Israel had taken advantage of Turkey's good intentions and that he will not go to Israel as previously planned. [Reuters]

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has proposed an international peace process for resolving the Israel-Palestine question and has called on all the parties for an immediate ceasefire and the establishment of a humanitarian corridor into Gaza to heal the wounds of civilians who have been under attack by Israel since Oct. 7.