On December 10, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called Israel a “terror” and “child-killer” state during a speech in the Central Anatolian province, according to the Turkish Hurriyet Daily newspaper. The Turkish president also claimed that Turkey will not leave the city of Jerusalem to Israel, after the US recognized it as Israel’s capital on December 6.
“Will not leave Jerusalem to the consciousness of a child-killer state … Jerusalem is the light of our eyes. We won’t leave it to the conscience of a state that only values occupation and looting. We will continue our struggle decisively within the law and democracy,” Erdogan said, according to Hurriyet.
During his speech, Erdogan also revealed that Turkey is making diplomatic efforts to counter the US decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. The Turkish president also called on Arab leaders and Muslim countries to act against the US decision and to present a “united stance” on the issue, according to Hurriyet.
“We’ve been carrying out intense phone diplomacy since the dire decision of the U.S. I’ve held phone calls with the heads of many governments and states, including the Pope. We’ve told them that this issue is not one that only concerns Muslims; it is also the seizure of the rights of Christians. But I must say clearly that this step of the U.S. is completely an Evangelist understanding,” said Erdogan.
In a direct response to Erdogan’s statements, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that he is not used to receiving lectures about morality from a leader who “bombs Kurdish villages”, and “jails journalists”. The statement was made during a press conference after his meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris.
The Israeli prime minister went on and accused Erdogan of supporting “terrorists” in the Gaza Strip. This was a clear hint to the Palestinian Hamas Movement.
“Mr Erdogan has attacked Israel. I‘m not used to receiving lectures about morality from a leader who bombs Kurdish villages in his native Turkey, who jails journalists, helps Iran go around international sanctions and who helps terrorists, including in Gaza, kill innocent people,” Netanyahu told reporters, according to Reuters agency.
Previously, Erdogan threatened that Turkey will cut all diplomatic ties with Israel, if the US recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. However, it appears that these hostile statments from the both sides will not have any real impact on the relationship between the two countries.
