The Turkish president’s risky romance with radicalism

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan criticised Germany over what he said was its ignorance of Israel's "genocide" and attacks in Gaza, at a joint news conference with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Thursday.

The open public friction between NATO allies emerged on Merz's first visit to Turkey since taking office.

Merz said his government had stood by Israel since the October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas and that he believes Israel was exercising its right to self-defence.

"It would have taken only one decision to avoid countless unnecessary casualties. Hamas should have released the hostages earlier and laid down its arms," he said, adding he hoped the war was coming to an end with the U.S.-brokered and Turkey-backed ceasefire deal.

ERDOGAN SAYS ISRAEL SOUGHT SUPPRESSION THROUGH GENOCIDE

Erdogan, among the most vocal critics of Israel's assault on Gaza and a key player in the ceasefire talks, said he could not agree with Merz.

"Hamas does not have bombs (or) nuclear arms but Israel has all of these and uses these weapons to hit Gaza, for example with those bombs again last night," Erdogan said.

"Do you, as Germany, not see these? Do you, as Germany, not follow these? Besides hitting Gaza, (Israel) has always sought to suppress it through famine and genocide," he said.

Merz has criticised Israeli actions in Gaza and this year Germany suspended military exports there, citing the deteriorating humanitarian situation.

He has stopped short of backing accusations of genocide, however, arguing that criticism of Israel must not become a pretext for antisemitism.

President Erdogan’s accusations are nothing new. He has openly aligned himself with Hamas ever since the horrific massacres carried out by the terrorist organization on October 7, 2023.

There has clearly been no genocide in Gaza—what is unfolding is a war aimed at dismantling terrorism.

Erdogan’s latest inflammatory rhetoric seems to serve two main purposes.

First, it is a domestic political maneuver: he is trying to rally his base ahead of next year’s presidential election.

Second, it is part of a calculated effort to portray himself as the leading voice in the Arab-Muslim world defending the Palestinian cause—even if that means endorsing terrorist organizations like Hamas.

None of this lends any real credibility to the Turkish regime.