Erdoğan condemns Israel over ‘Jewish nation-state’ law

ANKARA

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has strongly condemned Israel over a recent law declaring that only Jews have the right of self-determination, saying Israel is “the most fascist and racist state” in the world “where the spirit of Adolf Hitler has re-emerged.”

“The Jewish nation-state law that passed in the Israeli parliament shows this country’s real intentions. It legitimizes all unlawful actions and oppression,” President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said at his Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) parliamentary group meeting on July 24.

In a strongly worded statement, Erdoğan likened the actions of the Israeli government to the Nazi leader Adolf Hitler’s “pure race” policies. “There is no difference between Hitler’s Aryan race obsession and Israel’s mentality. Hitler’s spirit has re-emerged among administrators in Israel,” he said.

Erdoğan’s reaction came after the Israeli parliament passed the “nation-state” law, angering members of the country’s Arab minority and prompting the Turkish government to accuse Israel of trying to form “an apartheid state.”

“This [nation-state] law is the proof beyond reasonable doubt that Israel is the most Zionist, most fascist and most racist state,” the president said.

Turkey and Israel had withdrawn its ambassadors early 2018 after Israeli security forces killed dozens of Palestinians in protests to the relocation of the U.S.’s embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem early 2018.

Citing continued attacks on Palestinians, Erdoğan said Israel had shown itself to be a “terror state” by attacking Palestinians with tanks and artillery, adding that the move would “drown the region and world in blood and suffering.”

“What is graver is that the world has preferred to ignore these massacres committed on hundreds of Palestinians. On the contrary, almost everybody moved for just one Israeli troop who lost his live in incidents,” Erdoğan said.

“There is nothing like war there. It is a massacre and oppression committed by Israel.”

Israel is forcing Palestinians to leave their houses by killing and wounding Palestinians, Erdoğan stated, urging that the Israeli government will likely continue its acts that would further de-stabilize the region.

Those who keep silent on today’s acts will bear responsibility over tomorrow’s bigger pains and bloods to be spilled. We, as Turkey, will continue to stand against all cruelty and injustices to be staged by Israel. We will continue to stand with Palestine,” he underlined.

Erdoğan called on the international community to take action against Israeli attacks on Palestinians. “I call on the Islamic world, the Christian world, all democratic and liberal states, non-governmental organizations, and media members to move against Israel,” he added.