Erdogan courts Herzog, disguises under false slogans

Turkey did not and will not remain silent against the Israeli oppression against the Palestinians, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, as he met his Palestinian counterpart Mahmoud Abbas in Istanbul on July 10.

During the 11-day conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza in May, Erdogan accused Israel of “terrorism” against the Palestinians and said Israelis “are murderers, to the point that they kill children who are five or six years old. They only are satisfied by sucking their blood.”

Erdogan lashed out at Austria for hoisting Israeli flags on government buildings in Vienna. "I curse the Austrian state," the Turkish president said.

Shockingly, yesterday, Erdogan congratulated Israel's new President Isaac Herzog on being sworn into his new role as president last week. Erdogan stressed the great importance of maintaining contact and ongoing dialogue.

Despite the differences of opinion “our heart desires that we can move our relations with Israel to a better point.” Erdogan stated.

The Turkish public has recently won the impression that the government is pursuing a course of rapprochement with Israel.

Despite the many harsh words Erdogan regularly directs at Israel, talks have recently become more frequent again. Trade is also on the rise, with exports to Israel increasing steadily in recent years.

Analysts have speculated that Erdogan has indeed been making efforts to normalize relations with Israel and that the Turkish president often uses religious or nationalist rhetoric only to mobilize his core supporters.

Polls show that Erdogan and the AKP are facing a decline in popularity. Members of the opposition and critics accuse him of using harsh rhetoric and polarization to draw attention from problems like government failure in managing the coronavirus pandemic and the long-running economic crisis.

After the change of government in the United States, Turkey wanted to warm up relations with the Biden administration, analysts say, and sought to do so by upgrading its relationship with Israel through the appointment of a new ambassador.