In addition to affirming that thousands of members of the Palestinian organization were hospitalized in Turkey, the Turkish head of state described Hamas as a “resistance organization.” Explanations.
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A surprising statement. During a press conference on Monday, May 13, with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, whom he received as part of the diplomatic warming between the two countries, the Turkish president made a surprising revelation which recalls the close ties between Turkey and Hamas, while President Erdogan regularly calls Israel “terrorist state”.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan seemed stung when Kyriakos Mitsotakis recalled that Greece – unlike Turkey – considered Hamas a terrorist group. The Turkish head of state not only reacted by calling Hamas “resistance organization”as he has already done dozens of times.
But he also affirmed, in an unprecedented way, that members of Hamas were being treated in his country: “About 1 000 Hamas members are currently being treated in hospitals in my country. I do not agree with your position, I cannot agree when so many Hamas members are killed. The entire West is attacking them with all kinds of weapons and munitions.”
Until now, the Turkish authorities had only mentioned the case of hundreds of Gazans – including children and babies – transferred to the country for treatment. But there was never any question of Hamas members.
Is this a slip of the tongue by Tayyip Erdogan, who actually cited the number of Gazans receiving treatment in Turkey – as generally well-informed Turkish journalists suggest?
These declarations constitute in any case a new mark of support for the Palestinian group, but also a form of provocation with regard to Israel, with which Ankara recently severed its commercial relations.
