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Turkish president sharpens criticism of Israel and its allies and requires Israeli officers to be tried for warfare crimes.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has referred to as Israel a “terror state”, stepping up his condemnation of the Israeli assault on the besieged Gaza Strip forward of a delicate go to to Germany.
Erdogan mentioned on Wednesday that Israel’s navy marketing campaign towards the Palestinian armed group Hamas included “probably the most treacherous assaults in human historical past” with “limitless” assist from the West.
He referred to as for Israeli leaders to be tried for warfare crimes on the Worldwide Court docket of Justice in The Hague and repeated his view – and Turkey’s place – that Hamas will not be a “terrorist organisation” however a political celebration that gained the final Palestinian legislative elections held in 2006.
“I say clearly that Israel is a terror state,” Erdogan informed members of his Justice and Improvement Celebration (AK Celebration) in parliament.
“Whereas we curse the Israeli administration, we don’t neglect those that brazenly assist these massacres and people who exit of their solution to legitimise them,” he mentioned, pointing to the USA and different Western allies of Israel.
“We’re confronted with a genocide,” Erdogan added.
He referred to as on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to announce whether or not Israel has nuclear weapons and added that Netanyahu would quickly be a “goner” from his submit.
Ankara would take steps to make sure Israeli settlers in occupied Palestinian territories are recognised as “terrorists”, he mentioned.
Netanyahu, talking at an occasion in Israel, mentioned he is not going to be “morally lectured” by the Turkish chief, saying Erdogan helps “the terrorist state Hamas”.
The Turkish chief had taken a extra nuanced line instantly after Hamas launched assaults on southern Israel on October 7. About 1,200 folks, largely civilians, have been killed and about 240 folks taken hostage, in line with Israeli officers.
However Erdogan’s rhetoric has escalated as the size of Israel’s navy response has grown.
Well being officers within the Hamas-run territory mentioned greater than 11,300 folks have been killed in Gaza, together with greater than 4,000 youngsters.
Turkey this month recalled its ambassador to Israel and broke off official contacts with Netanyahu, suspending current makes an attempt by the 2 international locations to restore their rocky relations.
Israel has also said it’s “re-evaluating” relations with Ankara after calling again its diplomatic employees from Turkey and different international locations within the area as a safety precaution.
Erdogan made his feedback two days earlier than a deliberate assembly with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who has been pressured to defend his resolution to obtain the Turkish chief.
Germany has backed Israel, and Scholz mentioned he’s against an “instant ceasefire” in Gaza.
“I don’t assume the requires an instantaneous ceasefire or lengthy pause – which might quantity to the identical factor – are proper,” Scholz mentioned on Sunday.
“That may imply finally that Israel leaves Hamas the potential for recovering and acquiring new missiles,” he added, echoing the place of the US authorities and calling as a substitute for “humanitarian pauses”.
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