For the Turkish president, it is about preparing for the 2024 local elections and securing the support of “small radical Islamist parties,” explains Ahmet Insel.
“Supporting Hamas is the most natural thing in the world for Recep Tayyip Erdogan,” “but he is not anti-Israel. His political party has always been in close contact with Hamas,” explained Ahmet Insel, economist, on Franceinfo on Saturday, October 28. Political scientist and former professor at Galatasaray University, Türkiye. The Turkish President asked on X (ex-Twitter)that Israel “immediately put an end to this madness” and “end its attacks” against Gaza.
Look at the way the bombing of Israel over time fails to destroy them, calm them down, calm them down, and put them in crazy situations.
İsrail derhâl bu cinnet halinden çıkmalı ve saldırılarını durdurmalıdır.…
— Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (@RTErdogan) October 28, 2023
“He’s playing to his base constituency. Local elections will take place in Turkey in March 2024, analyzes Ahmet Insel. He is trying to please “anti-Zionist, pro-Palestinian voters.” In Turkey, alongside Recep Tayyip Erdogan, around 75 to 80% of the population supports the demands of the Palestinians.”
“In order to win the elections, he needs the support of the right-wing extremist nationalists and small radical Islamist parties. He received 51% of the vote” in the presidential election.
Ahmet Insel, economist, political scientist
at franceinfo
According to the researcher, it was “the ferocity of Israel’s attacks on Gaza, the open war crimes and the overly open support of the United States” that led Erdogan to side with Hamas.
Turkey could have played the role of mediator, but “that is more difficult now.” Recep Tayyip Erdogan had been working on restoring relations with Israel for several months and he was due to go there soon. But on Wednesday he announced he would not do so and “wouldn’t go.”
This turn in the situation postpones the gas contracts that should be signed. “In this position, it is more difficult for Erdogan to play a mediator role. But we have to be careful because he is able to change his position overnight and without any explanation,” believes the political scientist.