Government ally warns of Israel’s ‘message’ to Türkiye

Devlet Bahçeli, leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), a member of the government’s People’s Alliance, condemned Israel’s attacks in Lebanon and emphasized that Tel Aviv was sending a “message” to Türkiye, one of the government’s most outspoken critics Netanyahu. .

In his address to his party’s lawmakers in parliament in the capital Ankara on Tuesday, Bahçeli also denounced the inaction of Islamic countries against Israel’s attacks in Gaza and Lebanon.

“Gaza is under attack for 360 days. With the exception of Türkiye and a few other countries, we have seen no will to resist and stop the attacks. The war everyone is talking about has already started. I wonder where Islamic countries are hiding and when the torch of unity will be lit,” Bahçeli said.

“Israel continues its systematic brutality in Gaza and the West Bank while dropping bombs on Lebanon, Yemen and Syria. It is a rogue state that has gotten out of hand. The terrorist state of Israel is ravaging the entire Middle East. You cannot deny that his attacks are a message to Türkiye,” Bahçeli said.

Ankara often emphasizes the danger that the conflict between Palestine and Israel will spill over into regional conflicts and ultimately to the borders. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan repeatedly said that the Netanyahu government was pursuing an expansionist policy in its attacks. Türkiye and Israel broke off already deteriorated ties after a new round of the Palestine-Israel conflict began in October 2023. Since then, Tel Aviv and Ankara have traded with each other, with Israeli officials occasionally threatening President Erdoğan. Türkiye has a long border with Syria, where Israel recently launched attacks as close as to Damascus. Türkiye is also a target of Israel, whose intelligence service has recruited agents to spy on Palestinians in Türkiye, as shown by several investigations by Turkish authorities.

Bahçeli had harsh words for Netanyahu in his speech, especially for his speech at the United Nations General Assembly last week.

“How could the representatives of countries that pride themselves on democracy, freedom and human rights, after our President’s speech in the United Nations General Assembly, where he became the voice of the silent millions and the advocate of justice and rights, tolerate vile threats from the killer Netanyahu?” he said. “The butcher who ordered Nasrallah’s execution before even taking the stage is so brazen that he is taking advantage of the bloodshed in the UN General Assembly,” he added.

Bahçeli reiterated President Erdoğan’s call for reforms at the UN to prevent Israel and other countries from violating international law. He said the functional structure of the UN Security Council must be changed.

He also urged Ankara to take further steps towards normalization with Syria in light of the Israeli attacks. “(Officials of) Turkiye and Syria should meet without further delay on the basis of cooperation and reconciliation, while our security forces remain alert to widespread threats from Israel and its supporters,” he said.

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