Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has recently labeled Israel as a “terror state” committing war crimes and violating international law in Gaza In a speech to his ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) in parliament, Erdogan called for Israeli leaders to be tried for war crimes at the International Court of Justice in The Hague
He also repeated Turkey’s position that Hamas is not a terrorist organization but a political party that won past elections.
Erdogan’s statement came as a response to Israel’s ongoing assault on the besieged Gaza Strip. He criticized the West, particularly the United States, for their support of Israel and called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to announce whether Israel has nuclear weapons
Erdogan also suggested that Ankara would take steps to ensure Israeli settlers in occupied Palestinian territories are recognized as “terrorists”
This is not the first time Erdogan has criticized Israel and the West for their actions regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In the past, he has been vocal about his support for Hamas and has called for a two-state solution to the conflict. His recent declaration of Israel as a terrorist state has garnered significant attention and has further strained Turkey’s relationship with Israel and its Western allies