According to our correspondent in Istanbul, Manoli Kostidi. The Turkish opposition maintains a similar reaction to the Turkish government in criticizing the “Israeli genocide”, as commentators usually describe it. However, Recep Tayyip Erdogan‘s speech to the Turkish parliament caused a storm of reactions. The Turkish president claimed that the Israeli government is preparing “after Palestine and Lebanon to target Turkish territories”, because “Netanyahu includes Anatolia in his dreams”.
The chairman of the Republican People’s Party, Ozgur Ozel, argued that the Turkish government is trying to cover up the current problems of the Turkish people with this rhetoric and said “if there is such a threat to Turkey, we want it to be know us. If this is the case, let parliament meet. Israel cannot face Turkey, we are teaching it a lesson from Netanyahu, but on the other hand we will not let them cover the real problems of the country in this way.” Ozel said that the biggest problems of the people of Turkey is poverty and the economy and he emphasized that “the people will not lose the rhetoric that says there is a great danger now and we must be united”.
“But he was saying…”
The MP of the pro-Kurdish HDP party, Cengiz Çadar, recalled in his speech in the Turkish parliament, that Mr. Erdogan was ready to meet the Prime Minister of Israel last September and restore relations with Turkey.
“The president said in 2023 that Netanyahu will visit us in October or November and if God wills we will also visit him later”. Right after that, the attack happened on October 7 and we saw the developments. A leader who cannot predict the developments that happened in 10 days, now comes and makes a prediction for us,” said Mr. Chadar.
“Antioch is as far from Gaza as Ankara is from Athens. In other words, the occupation, the terrorism, the aggression is close to us.”
However, Mr. Erdogan insisted that the immediate danger is from Israel: “The distance from the Yailandag region, which is on our border with Syria, to Lebanon is 170 kilometers. Turkey is only 2.5 hours by car from Lebanon. The distance between Antioch and Gaza is the same as the distance between Ankara and Aydin. In other words, the occupation, the terrorism, the attack is right next to us”, said the Turkish president.
In the announcement of the National Security Council that met under the presidency of Mr. Erdogan, no express reference was made to a direct threat from Israel, but of course its policy was criticized and Ankara declared that it supports Lebanon.
The statement stated Turkey’s determination “to combat the terrorist organizations PKK/KCK-PYD/YPG, FETO and DAESH”. At the same time, it was emphasized that “the neutralization of the activities of the terrorist organizations on Syrian soil will continue without interruption and that no plan or effort that could harm our national security will be accepted.” .. Our determination to cooperate with our neighbor, Iraq, in the fight against terrorist organizations, especially the PKK/KCK-PYD/YPG, which is a common threat to our countries and our importance to the security, peace and welfare of the people, has been confirmed Iraq brothers it was emphasized again”.
The hidden anxiety
Political analysts report that they are closely monitoring in Ankara the mobility and instability prevailing in the region, so that no attempt is made to take concrete steps towards the creation of a Kurdish state in northern Syria, with the support of the US.