Fury has erupted in Turkey over opposition leader Ozgur Ozal’s recent comments in a televised interview where he labeled Hamas as a terrorist organization, a stance he has taken in the past. In the interview, Ozal stated, “Hamas drops bombs on innocent people in the middle of the night, with balloons, zeppelins and I don’t know what else.”
Despite facing criticism for his remarks, Ozal continued to defend his position, stating, “You have to see that this issue started there. What Hamas did was an act of terrorism. Hamas dropped bombs on sleeping Jews in the middle of the night.”
The strained relations between Turkey and Israel were further exacerbated by the Iron Swords War. In response to Turkey’s decision to sever trade relations with Israel, Foreign Minister Israel Katz announced that trade relations with Turkey would also be severed on behalf of Israel. There were discussions two weeks ago about the possibility of imposing a 100% tax on all imports from Turkey.
The fallout from Ozal’s comments has sparked a heated debate in Turkey, with opinions divided on his stance towards Hamas and the implications it has on the country’s foreign relations. The controversy continues to unfold as both sides stand firm in their positions.