Turkish support for Hamas

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Ismail Haniyeh with Turkish Minister of Culture Numan Kurtulmuş, 20 November 2012

Under the Islamist leader Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Turkey has become a stalwart supporter of the Palestinian militant group Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip.[1][2]

Turkey provides financial and logistical support to Hamas, which is a considered a terrorist organization by much of the West. Turkey hosts senior Hamas officials, including Saleh al-Arouri. Hamas head Ismail Haniyeh and former chief Khaled Meshal visit Turkey often.[3][4][5]

According to Israel's Shin Bet, Hamas has established a command post in Turkey. which it uses to recruit operatives and oversee operations in the Middle East.[6] Hamas' Turkey branch reportedly takes decisions without taking into account the movement as a whole and without involving the Hamas leadership.[7][8] Hamas has reportedly planned attacks against Israel from Turkey, including the abduction and killing of three Israeli teenagers in 2014.[9] In 2020 Israeli diplomats charged Turkey with furnishing passports and identity cards to Hamas members in Istanbul.[10]

The Turkish government met with Hamas leaders in February 2006, after the organization's victory in the Palestinian elections. In 2010, Prime Minister Erdoğan described Hamas as "resistance fighters who are struggling to defend their land".[11][12]

2023 Israel–Hamas war

Following the Hamas surprise attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, and the outbreak of the 2023 Israel–Hamas war, President Erdoğan lauded Hamas as "a liberation group, 'mujahideen' waging a battle to protect its lands and people." Erdoğan cancelled a planned visit to Israel.[13]

See also

References

  1. ^ "What is Hamas? What to know about its origins, leaders and funding". PBS NewsHour. 2023-10-10. Archived from the original on 2023-10-13. Retrieved 2023-10-13.
  2. ^ "Turkey, the United States, and the Israel-Hamas War". Council on Foreign Relations. Archived from the original on 2023-10-25. Retrieved 2023-10-26.
  3. ^ "Hamas faces risk, opportunity from warming Israel-Turkey ties". France 24. 2022-03-16. Archived from the original on 2023-10-13. Retrieved 2023-10-13.
  4. ^ "US Criticizes Turkey for Hosting Hamas Leaders". VOA. 2020-08-26. Archived from the original on 2023-10-13. Retrieved 2023-10-13.
  5. ^ "Qatar, Iran, Turkey and beyond: The galaxy of Hamas supporters". France 24. 2023-10-14. Archived from the original on 2023-10-14. Retrieved 2023-10-15.
  6. ^ Katz, Yaakov (8 September 2011). "Shin Bet: Hamas operating in Turkey, China". The Jerusalem Post. Archived from the original on 24 October 2012. Retrieved 17 April 2016.
  7. ^ "Turkey's Hamas 'bureau' - Al-Monitor: the Pulse of the Middle East". Al-Monitor. 2014-12-01. Archived from the original on 24 December 2015. Retrieved 2016-04-28.
  8. ^ "Is Erdogan closing Hamas' Istanbul office? - Al-Monitor: the Pulse of the Middle East". Al-Monitor. 2015-12-21. Archived from the original on 4 June 2016. Retrieved 2016-04-28.
  9. ^ Franzman, Seth T. (9 May 2021). "Turkey calls Israel 'terrorist' state, seeks to 'save Jerusalem' - analysis". The Jerusalem Post. Archived from the original on 2 November 2023. Retrieved 17 August 2022.
  10. ^ Gumrukcu, Tuvan (26 August 2020). "Turkey gave Hamas members passports, Israel says". Reuters. Archived from the original on 24 October 2023. Retrieved 21 August 2022.
  11. ^ Lazaroff, T. (May 13, 2011). "Erdogan: 'Hamas is not a terrorist organization'". The Jerusalem Post. Archived from the original on October 9, 2023. Retrieved June 7, 2013.
  12. ^ "Turkish FM Davutoğlu meets Hamas chief amid Israel row". Hurriyet Daily News. Archived from the original on 2023-10-07. Retrieved August 2, 2011.
  13. ^ Gumrukcu, Tuvan; Hayatsever, Huseyin (2023-10-25). "Turkey's Erdogan says Hamas is not terrorist organisation, cancels trip to Israel". Reuters. Archived from the original on 2023-11-10. Retrieved 2023-10-26.
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