2023-10-18 17:16:44
Organized after the massacre of the Al-Ahli hospital, in the Gaza Strip, where 200 to 500 people died on the night of Tuesday, October 17 following the bombing, for which the two belligerents blame each other, a demonstration in front of the Israeli consulate in Istanbul degenerated. It left one person dead among the protesters, reports the daily Republic.
Gathered at the call of Islamist parties and organizations, some from the opposition and others close to power, the crowd of several hundred people chanted slogans hostile to Israel. Fireworks were fired towards the windows of the building (see below)while some demonstrators tried to cross the police cordon prohibiting access to the consulate.
???? After the hospital attack in Gaza, where Israel massacred at least 500 people, most of them children and women, the crowd gathered in front of the Israeli Consulate General in Istanbul and threw fireworks at the consulate building… pic.twitter.com/82isiKK1ou
— Tr724 (@Tr724) October 17, 2023
During brief clashes with police forces (see below), They used water lances and tear gas. A demonstrator then lost his life, victim of a heart attack. In total, there were 43 injuries among the police, 63 among the demonstrators and five arrests.
#LAST MINUTE The police intervened in the crowd in front of the Israeli Consulate General in Istanbul with a TOMA.
Saadet Party: The father of one of our managers, Nuri Tüfekçi, was affected by the gas bomb. He died of a heart attack. pic.twitter.com/GQHwK8mChh— Haber Aktif (@haberactivcom) October 17, 2023
After adopting a neutral stance in the early days following Hamas’ October 7 terrorist attack on Israel, Turkey’s Islamo-nationalist President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has recently been more openly critical of Tel Aviv. But his positions are considered insufficient by part of his electorate and certain Turkish Islamist organizations.
American interests also targeted
Faced with this delicate subject for those in power, the Istanbul police chief reacted by declaring his “sadness at having been forced to involve the police” and called for no violent actions against Israeli interests in Turkey.
Israel nevertheless launched an appeal, Thursday, October 18, to its nationals, ordering them to leave Turkey “as soon as possible”. Many Israeli tourists are used to going to Turkey and the country is home to a very old Jewish minority, which has declined significantly during the 20th century but still has 20,000 members, mainly in Izmir and Istanbul.
Demonstrations are increasing in Turkey as the Israeli bombing campaign continues. Directed primarily against Israel, they have also targeted American interests for several days, while President Joe Biden maintains his unconditional support for Tel Aviv. After the shooting at Al-Ahli hospital, several hundred people gathered in front of an American radar station in the east of the country, also emphasizes Republic.
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