Physical Address
Indirizzo: Via Mario Greco 60, Buttigliera Alta, 10090, Torino, Italy
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Monday said that Türkiye is completely against the genocide caused by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Gaza.
“I don’t think we can explain it in any other way. This is absolutely a genocide. And this genocide is caused by Netanyahu. Netanyahu, mercilessly, has unfortunately killed tens of thousands with this genocide,” Erdoğan told Fox News on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York.
He added that over 120,000 people have been wounded in Gaza and that Türkiye has taken many of the injured into the country for treatment.
“We are in complete opposition to this genocide,” he said.
Asked about the Palestinian resistance group Hamas and the hostages it has, Erdoğan rejected claims that the blame rests solely with Hamas.
“This is not a one-sided crime. I think that would be wrong to accuse only Hamas of this. At the same time, how can we put aside what Netanyahu has done?” he said.
He accused Israel of indiscriminate attacks on civilians, adding: “When it comes to weapons, it (Hamas) can’t even be compared with Israel, and Israel is using this power without mercy, from age 7 to 70, children, women, the elderly. They have no mercy. And these people are being killed.”
On prospects for ending the conflict, Erdoğan was skeptical, comparing it to the unresolved Russia-Ukraine war.
“You might remember (U.S. President Donald Trump) said: ‘I will finish the Russia-Ukraine war.’ Did it end? It still goes on. Similarly, he said: ‘I will finish the war in Gaza.’ Did he? No.”
Asked if he sees Hamas as a terrorist group, he rejected the idea.
“I don’t see Hamas as a terrorist organization. On the contrary, I see it as a resistance group …They are using what they have to try to defend themselves.”
Israel has killed more than 64,000 Palestinians in a brutal offensive in Gaza following a cross-border attack by Hamas on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. The military campaign has devastated the enclave, which is facing famine.
Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.
The Turkish public and government are major supporters of the Palestinian cause. Türkiye has been a traditional ally to Palestine, but as the Israeli attacks became more brutal, Ankara has become harsher in its criticism in the past year. It has condemned what it calls genocide, halted all trade with Israel and applied to join the genocide case against Israel at the World Court, which Israel rejects.
In addition to delivering humanitarian aid, Türkiye has sought to rally international organizations, including the U.N., NATO and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), to restrain Israel.
F-35 fighter jets
The Turkish president discussed his upcoming meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House on Thursday, where he said he expects to raise the stalled F-35 fighter jet program.
“We are partners in the F-35 project,” he said, adding: “So far, we have paid $1.4 billion … Some aircraft were on the brink of delivery, but at the last minute, the delivery was halted. I don’t think it is very becoming of a strategic partnership.”
Though the U.S. recently approved the sale of F-16 fighter jets to Türkiye, disagreements linger over Ankara’s purchase of Russia’s S-400 air defense system, which led to the country’s removal from the F-35 program and subsequent U.S. sanctions.
Türkiye has said repeatedly that there is no conflict between the two and proposed a commission to study the issue.
Türkiye also said it fulfilled its obligations on the F-35s and that the suspension broke the rules.
Erdoğan said talks at the White House will also cover the delivery of F-16 jets, production, maintenance and broader defense cooperation.
On U.S.-Türkiye economic and industrial ties, he expressed optimism.
“I think it will improve greatly, especially in the defense industry. At the same time, in industry and technology, Türkiye and the U.S. will improve their relations,” he said.
Regarding the Russia-Ukraine war, Erdoğan emphasized Türkiye’s balanced relations with both countries.
“Russia has very serious losses. Ukraine also has severe losses, both in human terms and financially. We would not have wished this to happen,” he said.
He suggested that NATO could adopt a model similar to Türkiye’s approach in engaging both sides diplomatically to reduce tensions.
NATO member Türkiye is one of the most active countries working to ensure a permanent cease-fire between Ukraine and Russia. Its delicately balanced act of assuming a role as a mediator by keeping communication channels with both warring sides open provides a glimmer of hope in diplomatic efforts to find a solution and achieve peace in the Ukraine crisis. With its unique position of maintaining friendly relations with both Russia and Ukraine, Türkiye has garnered widespread praise for its efforts to end the war.
Erdoğan also criticized Europe’s stance toward Türkiye, noting that despite being a NATO member for over 50 years, the country has not been admitted into the European Union.
“I think it’s unfair,” he said.
