Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's recent visit to Germany was marked by tension and profound differences between the two NATO allies, primarily stemming from their contrasting views on the war in Gaza.
Erdogan had strongly criticized Israel, referring to it as a "terror state" and accusing its Western allies, including Germany, of supporting what he called "massacres" in Gaza, as per to Aljazeera.
Erdogan's Germany Visit Highlights Gaza Conflict Divide
During the visit, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz reaffirmed Israel's right to defend itself and emphasized Germany's solidarity with Israel. He stated, "Our solidarity with Israel is not up for discussion."
Erdogan, in response, suggested that Germany's support for Israel in the Gaza conflict was influenced by guilt over the Holocaust and contrasted this with Turkey's ability to express its views without bias.
He stated, "The Israeli-Palestinian war should not be evaluated with a psychology of indebtedness. I speak freely because we do not owe anything to Israel."
Erdogan also criticized Israel's military actions in Gaza, particularly condemning attacks on children and hospitals. He argued that such actions were not in line with the teachings of the Jewish holy book, the Torah.
The conflict in Gaza, which had been ongoing since October 7, had resulted in a significant loss of life, with over 12,000 Palestinians killed, including 5,000 children, according to Ismail Thawabta, the director general of the government media office in Gaza.
Erdogan's visit to Germany was his first since 2020, and it took place amid heightened tensions over his strong condemnation of Israel's actions in Gaza. He had previously called for Israeli leaders to be tried for war crimes at the International Court of Justice, according to Reuters.
Germany Bans Hamas Amid Erdogan's Controversial Visit
He reiterated Turkey's position that Hamas, the group governing Gaza, is a political party rather than a terrorist organization. Germany had also recently announced a complete ban on Hamas activities and those of the German branch of Samidoun, a group known as the Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network, citing support for groups including Hamas as the reason for the ban.
Erdogan's visit to Germany was seen as controversial due to his outspoken criticism of Israel and his defense of Hamas militants. While he did not repeat such statements during his visit to Berlin, he continued to criticize Israel's actions in Gaza.
Chancellor Scholz voiced support for Israel's right to self-defense and emphasized the need for long-term peace in the region, which, in his view, required Hamas to be unable to launch attacks.
The visit highlighted the differences in the two countries' positions on the Israel-Palestine conflict, with Erdogan arguing that Germany's historic responsibilities over the Holocaust influenced its stance. At the same time, Scholz emphasized the importance of direct dialogue during challenging moments.
Despite the tensions, Turkey remains a crucial player in NATO and is involved in various international negotiations and agreements, including efforts to address the conflict in Ukraine and manage migrant influxes into Europe.
Additionally, Germany is home to a significant Turkish diaspora, and many Turks in the country support Erdogan's policies, including former German international footballer Mesut Ozil, FRANCE 24 reported.