World Courant
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was on a brief and tense go to to Germany, amid deep disagreements between the 2 NATO allies over the battle in Gaza.
Erdogan has referred to as Israel a “terrorist state” and pointed to its Western allies, together with Germany, for supporting the military’s “massacres” in Gaza.
On Friday, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz underlined Israel’s proper to defend itself.
“Our solidarity with Israel just isn’t in query,” he mentioned at a joint press convention with Erdogan.
“We do not owe Israel something, so we are able to communicate freely,” Erdogan mentioned, referring to Germany’s duties within the Holocaust and the way Berlin can affect its relationship with Israel. ‘If we had been in debt, we would not be capable of discuss so freely. However those that are in debt can not communicate freely,” he mentioned.
The Turkish chief additionally lashed out at Israel for its brutal air and floor offensive in Gaza, saying assaults on kids and hospitals had no place within the Jewish holy ebook.
“Capturing down hospitals or killing kids doesn’t exist within the Torah, that’s not allowed,” Erdogan instructed reporters.
Ismail Thawabta, the director basic of the federal government media workplace in Gaza, instructed reporters on Friday that the overall variety of Palestinians killed for the reason that battle broke out on October 7 has exceeded 12,000, together with 5,000 kids.
Frosty begin
This was Erdogan’s first go to to Germany since 2020, when he attended a convention on Libya in Berlin.
Forward of the go to, the Turkish chief sharpened his condemnation of Israel’s assault on the besieged Gaza Strip, saying it acquired “limitless assist” from the West.
He had beforehand referred to as for Israeli leaders to be tried for battle crimes on the Worldwide Courtroom of Justice in The Hague and reiterated his place – and Turkey’s long-standing place – that Hamas just isn’t a “terrorist group” however a political get together that managed the final Palestinian elections. has received. 2006 parliamentary elections.
Since October 7, when Hamas fighters stormed southern Israel, killing about 1,200 folks and prompting the Israeli authorities to retaliate with a devastating air and floor assault on Gaza, the Turkish president has stepped up his criticism of Israel sharpened.
After the Hamas assault, Scholz traveled to Israel to supply assist to Germany.
This month, Germany introduced a whole ban on Hamas’s actions, in addition to these of Samidoun’s German department referred to as the Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Community, claiming it “helps and glorifies” teams together with Hamas.
“In our nation, anti-Semitism just isn’t allowed in any manner,” Scholz mentioned on the press convention.
“I wish to emphasize that there are 5 million Muslims residing in Germany and that they’ve a spot right here,” he added.
Erdogan rebuked solutions that his assaults on Israel had anti-Semitic overtones.
“For us, there needs to be no discrimination between Jews, Christians and Muslims within the area. I fought towards anti-Semitism. I’m a frontrunner main this battle,” he mentioned.
German authorities have banned many pro-Palestinian demonstrations in what they mentioned had been makes an attempt to forestall public anti-Semitism and curb dysfunction.
Uneasy companions
The 2 international locations have at all times been, as Scholz’s spokesman characterizes, “uneasy companions.”
Berlin has been a vocal critic of Erdogan’s crackdown on home dissent, whereas recognizing the necessity to contain regional energy Turkey to sort out thorny points.
Regardless of their variations, financial cooperation between the 2 international locations has continued, with bilateral commerce reaching a report 51.6 billion euros ($56.2 billion) in 2022.
Germany is dwelling to the biggest Turkish diaspora overseas. A majority of the Turkish group of three million folks helps Erdogan.
Erdogan’s stance led to questions in Germany in regards to the knowledge of internet hosting the Turkish chief presently, with opposition conservatives and even the liberal Free Democratic Occasion (FDP), a member of Scholz’s coalition, becoming a member of in urged the Chancellor to cancel the invitation.
Whereas a lot of the press convention was dominated by the battle between Israel and Hamas, the 2 leaders additionally mentioned the Russia-Ukraine grain deal, which Turkey helped dealer earlier than Russia withdrew from it.
They’d attempt to discover frequent floor for a migration pact concluded in 2016 between the European Union and Turkey to curb arrivals in Europe.
Erdogan linked the continued discussions about that settlement, which some European international locations are eager to revive and amend, to Turkey’s EU accession course of, which has been on maintain.
He additionally hoped to win Scholz’s assist to revive talks on modernizing Turkey’s customs union with the EU, and liberalize visas for Turkish residents forward of the upcoming municipal elections, the place he hopes to be the largest reclaim the nation’s cities, together with the capital Ankara and Istanbul.
Turkey has needed to purchase forty Eurofighter Storm plane, which, in response to the Turkish Ministry of Protection, co-manufacturer Germany has opposed.
Erdogan holds tense talks in Germany as divisions over Gaza battle widen | NATO information
Africa Area Information ,Subsequent Huge Factor in Public Knowledg
