The Zionist Organization of America condemns Erdogan

The Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) strongly disapproves of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan's recent comments regarding Israel and Hamas.

The ZOA criticized Erdogan and Fidan for their "outrageous, libelous accusations against Israel" and Erdogan's claim that the Hamas group is not a terror organization, labeling them as "Jew-hating, Israel-haters." Erdogan's allegations included accusing Israel of "murder and mental illness" and an "intentional massacre" in Gaza, alongside condemning Western support for Israel as "hypocrisy."

The statement also referenced Erdogan's assertion that Hamas is a liberation group rather than a terrorist organization, a claim ZOA finds absurd and against all evidence. Turkish Foreign Minister Fidan's comments were also highlighted, particularly his labeling of potential Israeli military actions as a "massacre" and his accusation of countries supporting Israel as "accomplices" to alleged crimes.

ZOA praised the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs' response, which described Hamas as a terrorist organization worse than ISIS, known for its brutal murders and use of human shields. They echoed Israel's stance that Erdogan's defense of Hamas and inciting words cannot change the reality of Hamas's actions.

The statement also included international responses to Erdogan's comments and Hamas's actions. President Biden labeled Hamas as "sheer evil" and compared their brutality to ISIS. Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini called Erdogan's comments "grave and disgusting." An EU motion condemned Hamas's October 7th terrorist acts, acknowledging Hamas as an internationally recognized terrorist organization with a history of extreme violence and a stated goal to annihilate Israel.