President Erdogan recently suggested that Turkey might intervene in Israel, drawing parallels to its past actions in Libya and Nagorno-Karabakh. During a speech praising Turkey’s defense industry, Erdogan abruptly shifted focus to the Gaza conflict, criticising Israel’s offensive.
“We must be very strong so that Israel can’t do these ridiculous things to Palestine,” Erdogan declared. He then added, “Just like we entered Karabakh, just like we entered Libya, we might do similar to them.”
Erdogan speaks about intervention
However, Erdogan did not elaborate on the nature of this potential intervention. The Turkish president emphasised the need for strength to take such steps, stating, “There is no reason why we cannot do this.”
Despite requests for clarification, AK Party representatives did not provide further details on Erdogan’s comments. Israel, meanwhile, has not yet responded to these remarks.
Speaks about Turkey’s military achievments
Erdogan’s statements appear to reference Turkey’s past military involvements. In 2020, Turkey deployed military personnel to Libya in support of the UN-recognised Government of National Accord.
Additionally, while denying direct involvement in Azerbaijan’s operations in Nagorno-Karabakh, Turkey has admitted to providing military training and modernization support to its ally.
Erdogan speaks about ceasefire
Earlier this month, Erdogan called on Western countries to pressure Israel into accepting the latest Gaza ceasefire proposal.
He expressed optimism about the possibility of a definitive ceasefire, stating, “After U.S. President Joe Biden’s phone call to Benjamin Netanyahu, I hope a final ceasefire would be secured in a couple of days so that Israel’s recent massacres would come to an end.”
These comments reflect Turkey’s ongoing criticism of Israel’s actions in Gaza and its desire to play a more active role in the region’s conflicts.
However, the lack of specificity in Erdogan’s statements leaves room for interpretation regarding Turkey’s potential future actions in the Israel-Palestine conflict. As tensions continue to escalate, the international community will likely watch Turkey’s next moves closely.
With inputs from Reuters
