On Saturday, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan stated that Islamic countries should establish an alliance to combat what he termed “the increasingly pervasive threat of expansionism” emanating from Israel. This statement was met with criticism from the Israeli foreign minister.
He made the comment after describing the killing of a Turkish-American woman who was participating in a protest against settlement expansion in the Israeli-occupied West Bank on Friday by Israeli forces, as confirmed by Palestinian and Turkish officials.
Erdogan stated at an Islamic schools’ association event near Istanbul that the alliance of Islamic countries is the sole measure that will halt Israeli arrogance, Israeli banditry, and Israeli state terrorism.
He stated that Turkey’s recent initiatives to enhance its relationships with Egypt and Syria are intended to “establish a line of solidarity against the escalating threat of expansionism,” which he stated also posed a threat to Lebanon and Syria.
According to Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz, Erdogan’s statement was “a dangerous lie and incitement.” Katz also claimed that the Turkish leader has been collaborating with Iran for years to undermine the moderate Arab regimes in the region.
This week, Erdogan hosted Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in Ankara. During the first presidential visit in 12 years, the two leaders engaged in discussions regarding the Gaza conflict and potential strategies for rejuvenating their previously strained relationship.
In 2020, Turkey initiated diplomatic initiatives to alleviate tensions with estranged regional adversaries, such as the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, which resulted in a thawing of their relationship.
Erdogan stated in July that Turkey would extend an invitation to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad at any moment for the purpose of possible negotiations to reestablish relations between the two neighbours, which were severed in 2011 following the onset of the Syrian civil war.
Following the incident on Friday, the Israeli military announced that it was investigating allegations that a female foreign national was slain as a consequence of gunfire in the vicinity. The circumstances of the incident and the manner in which she was struck are currently being investigated.
The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not provide an immediate response to the incident that occurred on Friday.
