Hamas fears setback in warming of Israel-Turkey ties
Hamas worries that an Israel-Turkey rapprochement could affect the movement’s presence and activities in Turkey.
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s visit to Ankara March 9 sparked outrage among Hamas members, which denounced the visit, while the movement’s supporters flayed Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The visit, the first in 15 years by a senior Israeli official, came at Erdogan’s invitation with the aim of improving relations between the two sides, after estrangement in light of Israeli rounds of violence against the Palestinians.
Hamas, which views Turkey as one of its most important allies in the region, expressed deep concern about the visit.
In a March 9 statement, Hamas said it has been following “with great concern the visits of officials and leaders of the Zionist entity to several Arab and Islamic countries, most recently Herzog’s visit to several countries in the region.”
