Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has intensified his rhetoric against Israel, urging Muslim countries to form an alliance against it.
This escalation has raised concerns among political officials in Jerusalem, with Israel even calling for Turkey’s expulsion from NATO.
Since October 7, 2023, Israel has been engaged on seven fronts against an “axis of evil” led by Iran, a predominantly Shiite alliance.
However, Hamas and Islamic Jihad, critical players in this conflict, are Sunni groups.
Sunni and Shiite versions of Islam are at odds over issues of traditions, beliefs, and theology. One issue unites them, however: antagonism to Israel.
Now, President Erdogan is working to establish a new Sunni axis in the Middle East, aimed squarely against Israel.
On September 7, 2024, the Turkish president called on Muslim countries to unite against what he described as Israel’s “growing threat of expansion.”
His remarks came after the death of an American-Turkish human rights activist during a demonstration in Nablus.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launched an investigation into the incident, which the Biden administration condemned.
Speaking at an event in Istanbul for the Association of Islamic Schools, Erdogan said, “The only way to stop Israeli arrogance, robbery, and state terrorism is through a united front of Muslim countries.”
Erdogan pointed to Turkey’s recent efforts to mend relations with Egypt and Syria as part of his broader strategy to create a “line of solidarity” against Israel’s influence, which he claimed also threatens Lebanon and Syria.
In line with this goal, the Turkish president recently hosted Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi, marking a significant step in restoring ties between the two nations.
Erdogan’s political party, the Justice and Development Party (AKP), has deep ties to the Muslim Brotherhood, a group designated as a terrorist organization in Egypt.
After al-Sisi came to power in a 2013 military coup that ousted Islamist President Mohamed Morsi, many Muslim Brotherhood leaders fled to Turkey, where Erdogan granted them political asylum and even provided two television channels to promote their agenda.
This visit by al-Sisi is the first since his rise to power, despite Erdogan previously referring to him as a “murderer” following Morsi’s death during his trial.
Erdogan’s outreach now extends beyond Egypt. He is working to improve relations with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates after years of tension. He is seeking to end the long-standing rift with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, which stems from Assad’s brutal suppression of Sunni Muslims during the Syrian civil war.
Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz condemned Erdogan’s remarks, calling them “lies and dangerous incitement,” and accused Erdogan of collaborating with Iran and the Muslim Brotherhood to undermine moderate Arab regimes in the region. “It’s better for Erdogan to remain silent and ashamed,” Katz said.
Senior Israeli political figures believe Erdogan’s efforts are aimed at disrupting Israel’s peace agreements with Arab nations and undermining potential normalization deals with Sunni states, including Saudi Arabia.
They see his moves as a political complement to the military efforts led by Iran’s Shiite axis against Israel, further isolating the Jewish state on the international stage.
Erdogan also issued veiled threats of military action against Israel despite Turkey’s NATO membership.
Following Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech to Congress in July, the Turkish president hinted at the possibility of invading Israel.
In response, Foreign Minister Katz instructed the Israeli Foreign Ministry to appeal to NATO members, urging them to condemn Erdogan’s rhetoric and push for Turkey’s expulsion from the alliance.
The Biden administration, preoccupied with the upcoming U.S. presidential election, has remained silent, leaving Israel to contend with what it views as a rising threat from Erdogan, a key figure in the global Muslim Brotherhood movement and an open supporter of Hamas. Hamas’s “CEO,” Zaher Jabarin, runs the organization’s financial empire from Turkey.
Jerusalem officials are increasingly alarmed by Erdogan’s rhetoric, fearing that he is laying the groundwork for war against Israel while expanding his calls for a broader Muslim alliance to isolate and confront the Jewish state.
