The Turkish government has recalled Ambassador Sakir Ozkan Torunlar from Israel “for consultations” ostensibly in response to Israel’s defensive response to the existential threat posed by Gaza’s ruling Hamas terrorist organization in the war it launched on October 7 against the Jewish State.
It’s not the first time Turkey has recalled its envoy over Israel’s decision to defend itself against terrorist threats from Gaza.
Turkey’s foreign ministry said in a statement that the ambassador was being recalled “in view of the unfolding humanitarian tragedy in Gaza caused by the continuing attacks by Israel against civilians, and Israel’s refusal of calls for ceasefire and continuous and unhindered flow of humanitarian aid.”
Israel had already recalled its own envoys to Ankara last month after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan described Hamas terrorists as “freedom fighters.” Moreover, Erdogan announced that Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi will be welcomed in a visit to Ankara at the end of this month. Iran is largely responsible for the slaughter of Israelis by Hamas, and for the ongoing attacks on northern Israel by its proxy, Hezbollah, from across the border in Lebanon.
The Hamas terrorists and Gaza civilians who invaded Israel on October 7 slaughtered 1,400 people — beheading, raping, dismembering, burning alive and torturing hundreds before murdering them — as well as abducted 241 others, including babies, young children, teens, elderly, and other men and women who are still be held captive in Gaza.
“The Turkish government’s decision to recall its ambassador while the State of Israel is in the midst of a war of self-defense imposed on it by a terrorist organization worse than ISIS, is another step by the Turkish president who sides with the Hamas terrorist organization,” Israel’s Foreign Ministry said in response to the announcement.
“Hamas terrorists use the population of Gaza as human shields and is preventing them from moving to safe areas, while stealing fuel, food and drinking water from them.
“Hamas commits war crimes and crimes against humanity, and is the real enemy of the Palestinian people,” the ministry added.
Erdogan has long been a strong advocate of Hamas, an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood which the Turkish president strongly supports.
