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Hamas leader Haniyeh to visit Turkey for talks with Erdogan - The Times of Israel

The Turkish leader has forged friendly ties with Ismail Haniyeh, who is based in Qatar. (File)

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday he will host the leader of Palestinian group Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, in Turkey this weekend.

"The leader of the Palestinian cause will be my guest this weekend," Erdogan, an outspoken critic of Israel, told lawmakers.

Private television channel NTV reported that the two men would meet on Saturday at the Dolmabahce palace in Istanbul.

Their last meeting was in July 2023 when Erdogan hosted Haniyeh at the presidential palace in Ankara alongside Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas.

Erdogan has been one of the strongest critics of Israel since the start of the war in Gaza, sparked by the group's attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.

The attack claimed 1,170 lives, mostly civilians, Israeli figures show.

Israel has responded with a ground and air offensive that the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said has killed at least 33,899 people, mostly women and children.

The Turkish leader has forged friendly ties with Haniyeh, who is based in Qatar.

Erdogan last week offered Haniyeh condolences for the death of his three sons and some of his grandchildren in an Israeli strike in Gaza.

Erdogan has called Israel a "terrorist state" and accused it of conducting a "genocide" in Gaza. He has called Hamas "liberators" or "mujahideen" fighting for their land.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Hamas Chief To Visit Turkey This Weekend, Says Turkish President Erdogan - NDTV

Levent Kenez/Stockholm

The German governments latest report on global religious freedomcovering the 2020-2022 period sheds light on human rights violations of non-Sunni groups and minorities in Turkey. The report also addresses the persecution faced by the Glen movement, a group critical of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. According to the report, the Turkish state does not hesitate to kidnap Glenists from abroad. The report will be discussed in the Federal Parliaments Human Rights Commission on April 24.

The report asserts that since a coup attempt on July 15, 2016, the Turkish government has intensified its crackdown on individuals associated with the Glen movement, which it labels as a terrorist organization.

According to the report, the treatment of alleged supporters of Fethullah Glen, a Turkish cleric who inspired the movement, differs significantly when compared to other Muslim religious groups. The Glen movement has been branded as a terrorist organization by Turkish authorities, a designation not universally recognized, the report reads.

German government reports chapter on Turkey:

The report mentions that hundreds of thousands have faced arrest, conviction, dismissal from positions, travel bans and loss of benefits. The governments persecution explicitly targets not only those implicated in the coup attempt but also all individuals linked to the preacher. The report also highlights Turkish actions against Glen supporters and affiliated institutions abroad, which have been well documented. According to the report, in certain instances, the Turkish state has even resorted to abducting prominent Glenists from foreign countries. Nongovernmental organizations, the report mentions, have reported instances of abuse and torture suffered by those affected.

It has previously been reflected in international reports that dissidents abroad have been illegally abducted by the Turkish Intelligence Organization (MT) and diplomats coordinated by the Erdogan government

In 2020 UN experts Luciano Hazan, chair of the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances; Felipe Gonzlez Morales, special rapporteur on the Human Rights of Migrants; Fionnuala N Aolin, special rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms While Countering Terrorism; and Nils Melzer, special rapporteur on Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment jointly addressed the Turkish government regarding their apprehensions about the systematic practice of state-sponsored extraterritorial abductions and forcible return of Turkish nationals from various countries to Turkey.

Likewise, during its 87th session from April 27 to May 1, 2020, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention determined that the incarceration of three individuals with connections to the Hizmet/Glen movement was arbitrary, lacked legal justification and contravened the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The group emphasized that those allegedly affiliated with the movement are being targeted based on their political or other beliefs, constituting a prohibited discriminatory basis.

The UN rapporteurs emphasized in their correspondence that Turkey purportedly entered into bilateral security cooperation agreements with multiple nations for the deportation or abduction of Turkish citizens and inquired about the compatibility of these agreements with the countrys international human rights commitments. They also sought clarification on the involvement of Turkeys MIT and other entities in these abduction operations. It is reported that, in collaboration with other nations, the Turkish Government forcibly transported over 100 Turkish nationals to Turkey, among whom 40 individuals have disappeared under enforced circumstances, often taken from the streets or their residences worldwide, including with their children, the letter stated.

In June 2023 a report drafted by British lawmaker Christopher Chope for the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) highlighted the role of MT in abducting critics from other countries in clear violation of international and national laws.

The report, while acknowledging the previous efforts of Council of Europe (CoE) bodies, was the first to comprehensively address transnational repression and to discuss legal guidance. It states that transnational repression is a global phenomenon attacking the foundations of democratic societies and the rule of law, and that strengthened and more coordinated action to prevent and fight it is needed.

PACE called on countries that have reportedly engaged in transnational repression to ensure that those responsible are brought to justice and that victims receive reparations. In order to better prevent and fight transnational repression, it recommended that all states develop legal guidance for government agencies, impose targeted sanctions and expel diplomats who have been directly involved in incidents of transnational repression.

On October 26, 2023 the United Kingdom Home Office issued an updated Country Policy and Information Note concerning the Glen movement in Turkey, revealing extensive human rights violations endured by its members since the July 2016 coup attempt.

Following the coup attempt, the government initiated a crackdown on individuals and organizations associated with the Glen movement. This resulted in hundreds of thousands of arrests and detentions, with over 117,000 convictions under anti-terrorism laws, the dismissal of more than 130,000 public servants, the revocation of over 230,000 passports, the closure of businesses and institutions followed by asset seizures, and the pursuit of Turkish nationals residing abroad, the report stated. It highlighted that detentions had increased in recent years, including in 2023, due to the arrest of individuals aiding families of people jailed for alleged Glen ties and those accused of handling financial aid from Glen supporters abroad.

Furthermore, the report referenced a European Commission publication documenting a rise in credible allegations of torture and ill-treatment in detention centers and prisons, along with a US Department of State report indicating a higher risk of mistreatment and potential torture for individuals with alleged Glen movement connections while in custody.

The Home Office also flagged legal issues concerning the trials of alleged Glen affiliates, such as retroactive criminalization of previous legal activities and the questionable nature of evidence used against them.

The report also addressed Turkeys campaign of transnational repression, noting that it has led to the extradition of over 100 citizens from numerous countries.

On November 25, 2022, then-vice president Fuat Oktay stated during a committee meeting in parliament that MT ensured the extradition of more than 100 Glen members from various countries to Turkey. However, it is widely recognized that what Oktay called extradition is, in fact, synonymous with kidnapping. These countries mainly include some in Africa and others in Central Asia.

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German gov't report underscores Erdogan's willingness to kidnap opponents from abroad - Nordic Research and Monitoring Network

File photo.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has announced that he will meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on May 13 in Ankara.

The two leaders last met in December in Athens.

In a statement after the end of the extraordinary European summit in Brussels, Mitsotakis, after confirming the date, described Turkeys reaction to Greeces declaration on the creation of marine environmental parks in the Aegean Sea as completely unjustified.

Greece exercises its sovereign rights in the Aegean Sea on the basis of international law and the law of the sea and I am impressed by this completely unjustified reaction of Turkey to an initiative, which ultimately has an environmental characteristic, Mitsotakis said.

He added that he does not think that the improvement in Greek-Turkish relations means that Turkeys positions regarding the delimitation of maritime zones have automatically changed.

Asked about the conclusions of the summit on Euro-Turkish relations, Mitsotakis stressed that these are satisfactory for both Greece and Cyprus as they are based on the framework of previous European Council decisions that define how EU-Turkish relations can be improved.

Regarding the new crisis in the Middle East, Mitsotakis noted that emphasis was placed on preventing an escalation of the conflict. I think it is extremely important that the text of the conclusions also refers to the situation in Gaza. The crisis is such that it requires an immediate ceasefire, he said.

Read more from the original source:
Mitsotakis to meet Erdogan on May 13 in Ankara - Kathimerini English Edition

Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza

Turkey has tried to position itself as a mediator in global conflicts for years, shuffling between warring parties including Russia and Ukraine.

It is currently restructuring its Foreign Ministry to include a department specifically dealing with international negotiations.

In the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, its success so far has been limited. Israel has lost trust in Ankara due to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogans overt criticism of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus conduct, and the country's hosting of Hamas officials.

Ankara, meanwhile, has been angered by the widespread killing of Palestinian civilians.

Qatar and Egypt, rather than Turkey, emerged as the main regional negotiators in a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal late last year.

But after Irans April 13 attack on Israel, Turkey has been among the key back channels between Tehran and Israels western allies as diplomats seek to stop tension spilling into a regional conflict.

Turkish officials are among the few who speak directly to the US, Israel, Hamas members and Iran.

It is a smart move and humanitarian responsibility to take any initiative, including Turkey's mediation, for a ceasefire and solution a senior Turkish official told The National.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan spoke to his Iranian and US peers before and after Iran launched about 300 drones and missiles at Israel on Saturday night.

Tehran said the attack was in response to the bombing of the Iranian consulate compound in Damascus on April 1.

The developments did not come as a surprise, another Turkish diplomatic official said, referring to Irans attack.

Iran informed Turkey about the response options, the source said.

Possible developments were also discussed during the call with [US Secretary of State Antony] Blinken," the official said.

"The American side conveyed to Iran through us that the reaction should remain within certain limits.

In response, Iran said that the response would be a retaliation to the attack on the embassy in Damascus and would not go beyond that.

In a phone call after the attack, Mr Fidan told Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian that Turkey does not want any further escalation.

Switzerland has also played a key role in messages between Iran and Washington.

Mr Erdogan criticised western nations for condemning Irans attack on Israel but not the strike on the consulate.

Unfortunately, only a couple of countries responded negatively to this unfortunate event, he said this week.

So those who keep their silence against the violations by Israel started competing with each other in order to condemn Iran.

Despite the anti-Israel launguage, Ankara is trying to tread a fine line between maintaining commercial and political links with Israel, managing domestic anger over the war in Gaza, and keeping up ties with Iran.

Turkey has banned some exports to Israel but maintains a diplomatic relationship with the country, and enables its oil trade with Azerbaijan.

Israel is Turkeys 13th largest trade partner and Ankara can ill afford to halt billions of dollars in annual exports as the Turkish economy suffers high inflation and a rapid fall in the value of its currency.

He [Erdogan] is trying to play on both sides of the ball, a senior Israeli official told The National.

Trust between Israel and Turkey is at near-historic lows. Ankara is not included in a list of foreign nations that Israel is engaging with as it hopes to build momentum for further sanctions against Iran.

Ankara has more successfully engaged with Israels western allies. After Irans attack, the US acknowledged Turkeys role in back-channelling messages to Iran.

Secretary Blinken thanked Foreign Minister Fidan for his ongoing engagement to prevent further escalation in the region, said a US State Department representative.

Mehmet Koc, an Ankara-based analyst who lived in Iran for 20 years, said: Turkey has both Irans trust and the trust of the US and the West.

"And because of this, in this crisis between Israel and Iran, it has been able to act as an intermediary point.

Iran values Turkeys position towards the West, including America, and welcomes Turkeys role as an intermediary between Iran and America.

In playing a balancing act between Iran and Israel, and its western allies, Turkey appears to want to prove itself as a reliable interlocutor for the US and UK, which are also important trade and security partners.

Nato member Turkey and the US in particular have had strained relations in recent years over Washingtons backing of Syrian Kurdish forces that have close ties to the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), a group proscribed as a terrorist organisation and regarded as a national security threat by Turkey.

A presidential decree dated April 6, 2024, seen by The National, detailed a reform plan for the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

It includes the creation of a Directorate General for International Mediation', to be led by an ambassador-level official.

According to the document, the department is responsible for carrying out, mediation, conflict prevention and crisis-management activities within international congresses and other projects within this scope.

Turkey has real reasons to actively de-escalate tensions in the region.

More widespread conflict could lead to migration into the country, already host to millions of Syrian and Afghan refugees, and worsen economic conditions in key trade partner countries such as Iraq and Iran.

Turkey is also continuing to speak directly to Hamas. In Doha on Wednesday, Mr Fidan held a three-hour meeting with political leader Ismail Haniyeh.

The Palestinian group pledged to lay down its arms on the creation of a Palestinian state, the Turkish minister said.

Hamas stated that after the establishment of an independent Palestinian state to be established on the basis of the 1967 borders, there would not be any armed wing and they will continue life as a political party, Mr Fidan told media after the meeting.

That is what Hamas stated. I think this is a very important statement from Hamas, so the whole world can undertake the necessary steps.

There is a limit to Turkeys willingness to play go-between, however.

Asked if he expected Ankara to continue conveying messages between Iran and the West, one of the Turkish officials said: No. We expect the West to establish good relations with the countries in the region and avoid initiatives that would disrupt regional stability.

Updated: April 19, 2024, 4:48 AM

Excerpt from:
Turkey seeks mediation role between Israel and Iran - The National