Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan today (Wednesday) sent an explicit and unequivocal threat against Israel. "If Israel tries to harm Hamas members in Turkey - it will pay a heavy price."
His words come after the publication in the Wall Street Journal in recent days, according to which Israel is preparing to attack senior Hamas officials abroad, and after the distribution of recordings in which Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar is heard saying that Israel will work to eliminate Hamas in Turkey, Lebanon and Qatar.
Erdogan, who has been leading a clear anti-Israel line since the terrorist attack on October 7, reiterated his claim that Hamas is not a terrorist organization and said: "Hamas is a resistance group fighting for its lands."
In addition to this statement by Erdogan, an official in the Turkish intelligence told the Reuters news agency two days ago that he is warning Israel against "illegal" action against senior Hamas officials who are outside Israel and especially in Turkey, and if it does so "there will be serious consequences."
The Turkish president also said today: "The future of the Gaza Strip should be decided by the Palestinians, Israel should return all the occupied territories." He said that any discussion in Israel about the establishment of a security strip on the border of the Gaza Strip constitutes a "disrespect" for the Palestinians and Turkey opposes it.
