Turkish Cypriot leadership lines up behind Erdogan over Israel

Turkish Cypriot political leadership figures lined up behind Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan following a spat between Erdogan and Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz.

Erdogan had on Sunday night warned Israel against continuing and escalating its actions in Gaza, saying “we must be very strong so that Israel can’t do these ridiculous things to Palestine. Just like we entered Karabakh, just like we entered Libya, we might do similar to them.”

In response, Katz posted pictures of Erdogan and former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein to X, with the caption; “Erdogan is following in the footsteps of Saddam Hussein and is threatening to attack Israel. Just let him remember what happened there and how it ended.”

In response, Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar spoke on the telephone with Erdogan on Monday night, condemning what he described as Katz’s “targeting of Erdogan”, and expressing support for Erdogan’s policy on Gaza.

“Erdogan always stands by the oppressed and against oppressors,” he said, adding that Israel’s actions in Gaza have “turned into a genocidal operation”.

The telephone call came after an earlier statement from Tatar condemning Katz’s post.

“It is unacceptable that the authorities of genocidal Israel, which has been continuing to massacre civilians, including women and children in a planned and organised manner before the eyes of the world since October last year, have overstepped the mark and attacked [Erdogan],” he said.

He added, “I condemn this attitude, which we know is aimed at covering up the crimes against humanity which Israel continues to commit almost every day, and I call on the international community, which claims to defend human rights, to immediately stop Israel’s genocidal activities against the innocent Palestinian people.”

Meanwhile, the north’s ‘prime minister’ Unal Ustel described Katz’s post as “insults, devoid of diplomacy, from a mentality which kills children in Gaza without hesitation”.

“Efforts to portray [Erdogan] … who stands against wars all over the world, calls for peace, and is the voice of the oppressed, as someone different to what he is, are futile,” he added.

‘Parliamentary speaker’ Zorlu Tore also condemned Katz’s post, saying, “I have full confidence that Israeli officials will sooner or later be held accountable before history and humanity for the crimes they have committed.”