World

Erdogan claims to be leading the fight against anti-Semitism in Turkey

On a visit to Germany on Friday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he considered all faiths equal and denied claims that his attack on Israel had anti-Semitic undertones.

The Turkish leader was in Berlin for talks with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, which had been overshadowed by the growing civilian toll of Israel’s war in Gaza.

Erdogan was chastized in Germany for criticizing Israel’s actions in the war, which was sparked by massive Hamas strikes on October 7 that Israel said killed nearly 1,200 people, largely civilians, and took 239 hostages.

According to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, the death toll in Gaza has reached 11,500 individuals, the vast majority of whom are civilians, including thousands of children.

On Friday, Erdogan further up his condemnation of Israel, claiming that shooting hospitals or killing children does not exist in the Torah.

He also defended himself against anti-Semitism claims.

“For us, there should be no discrimination between Jews, Christians, and Muslims in the region. I have fought against anti-Semitism”, Erdogan stated during a joint press conference with Scholz.

“I am a leader who is leading this fight”, Erdogan continued.

However, he appeared to imply that Germany, a country where anti-Semitism is prohibited due to Berlin’s historic obligations in the Holocaust, was constrained in its ability to speak freely about the Israel-Hamas war.

“I speak freely because we do not owe Israel anything. We did not go through the Holocaust”, Erdogan remarked, implying that Germany owed him a psychological debt.

“If we were in debt, we could not talk so freely. But those who are in debt cannot talk freely”, Erdogan explained.

Also read: Biden calls on Hamas to release hostages

Spriha Rai

Recent Posts

‘In Kabul, A Cat Has More Freedom Than A Woman’: Revisiting Women’s Struggles Under The Taliban

The Taliban’s regime has since imposed over 100 laws restricting women's rights, stripping them of…

60 mins ago

PM Modi’s Gifts: A Glimpse Of India’s Cultural Heritage In Global Diplomacy

These gifts to world leaders reflect the diverse traditions, arts, and crafts of India, emphasizing…

4 hours ago

Dr Rajeshwar Singh Calls For Bold Goals To Make India A Global Power By 2047

Dr Singh stressed the importance of reaching a GDP of $15 trillion by 2047 to…

4 hours ago

Gautam Adani Faces Indictment In US: Legal Expert Vijay Aggarwal Dismisses Immediate Repercussions

Criminal lawyer Vijay Aggarwal weighed in on the charges against Adani. He believes the indictment…

5 hours ago

Adani Group Stocks Recover As Sensex nd Nifty Post Gains

After a major sell-off earlier in the week, Adani Group stocks, led by Ambuja Cements…

6 hours ago

Sensex Soars 1,961 Points, Nifty Gains 557 In Broad-Based Market Rally

A sharp rally in financial stocks and encouraging US labor market data fueled the uptrend.…

6 hours ago