Turkey continues its double dealing, courting the European Union while supporting Islamist terror. Hamas is thankful for its new headquarters in Turkey.
Hamas terrorists in Gaza. (Photo: Abed Rahim Khatib / Flash90)
Expressing outrage, Israel lodged a complaint with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) based on Turkey’s permitting the Hamas terror organization to set up headquarters in the nation’s largest city, Istanbul, Israel Hayom reports.
Israel demanded NATO take action against Turkey for enabling a terror organization to operate unhindered within its borders. Israel stressed that it is unacceptable that Turkey, a NATO member, continues to maintain relations with a terror organization.
Hamas has run its organization out of Syria for years, but following the raging Syrian civil war, Hamas was forced to relocate, choosing Turkey as its new home. According to officials in Jerusalem quoted by Israel Hayom, Hamas now runs it’s diplomatic and military activities out of Istanbul.
The head of Hamas’ Turkey operation is arch-terrorist Saleh al-Arouri, who is reportedly responsible for numerous terrorist attacks, including Hamas’ abduction and murder of the three Israeli boys this past summer and the plan to overthrow the Palestinian Authority (PA) in Judea and Samaria.
An Israeli official told Israel Hayom on Tuesday that Israel has no doubt that Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has approved Hamas’ activities in his country. Erdogan is known as an open supporter of the extremist Muslim Brotherhood.
Turkey’s Cynical Game
Israeli Minister of Defense Moshe Ya’alon conveyed a similar message to the U.S. during his recent visit there. He told Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, “Turkey is playing a cynical game. Hamas is supported by Qatar and Turkey, even as Turkey is a NATO member. It is unacceptable that the terror organization has two headquarters: one in Gaza and one in Istanbul.”
Just last week Dursun Ali Şahin, the governor of Edirne in Turkey, threatened to shut down a famous, ancient synagogue in his province in what he said was retaliation for Israel’s closing the Temple Mount to all worshipers because of Arab rioting. He backed down after broad condemnation for his anti-Jewish statements.
In the past, Turkey and Israel have enjoyed close diplomatic relations and have collaborated on a broad range of issues. Following Erdogan’s ascension to power and Turkey’s turn towards a more extreme Muslim stance, however, the diplomatic ties have almost completely ceased to exist.
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Written by United with Israel Staff