Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been busy re-Islamizing Turkey and removing the last vestiges of Kemalism. He has changed the Turkish Army, replacing Kemalist generals who favor secularism with Islamist officers. This new officer corps, instead of being wary of soldiers who are “too pious,” as their predecessors had been, now promote those “pious soldiers” up through the ranks. Erdogan has jailed Turkish academics, lawyers, university rectors, and journalists who are opposed to his re-Islamizing program and to his despotism. Erdogan has built more than 20,000 new mosques during his more than 20 years in power. And he has built about 1,800 Imam Hatip schools, serving ten percent of the pre-university population, which provide a rigorous religious education along with training in secular subjects. Under Erdogan’s rule, the graduates of these Imam Hatip schools can expect favorable treatment when they apply to university, or for jobs, especially in the government bureaucracy. Erdogan himself attended an Imam Hatip school, and sees them as a way to forge a “pious generation” in largely Muslim Turkey. He has continued investing in the schools, building more of them every year.
And now this anti-Ataturk has called for the 57 Muslim nations to form a military alliance against Israel. It’s not a new theme for him. A few years ago, he spoke of a possible future war between the “crescent and the cross,” and left no doubt as to which side Turkey would be on. In fact, it was clear that he expected that Turkey would be the natural leader of the forces of Islam and he, as the leader of Turkey, would lead the entire group. More on his latest invoking of a pan-Islamic alliance to defeat Israel can be found here: “Turkey’s Erdogan: Islamic countries should form alliance against ‘Israel’s growing expansionism,'” Jerusalem Post, September 7, 2024:
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday Islamic countries should form an alliance against what he called “the growing threat of expansionism” from Israel.
He made the comment after describing what Palestinian and Turkish officials said was the killing by Israeli troops of a Turkish-American woman taking part in a protest on Friday against settlement expansion in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
The only step that will stop Israeli arrogance, Israeli banditry, and Israeli state terrorism is the alliance of Islamic countries,” Erdogan said at an Islamic schools’ association event near Istanbul.
Perhaps Erdogan has been asleep for the past eleven months. When 6,000 Hamas operatives smashed into Israel from Gaza on October 7, they proceeded to rape, torture, mutilate, and murder 1,200 Israelis and kidnap another 251. This started a war that Israel did not want and did not expect. What he calls “Israeli arrogance” and “Israeli banditry” is simply the stout resolve of the Jewish state to defend itself and to prevent another genocidal attack by Hamas in the future. There has been no “state terrorism” by the IDF, which makes colossal efforts to minimize civilian casualties. As the main part of that effort, already by March the IDF had dropped nine million leaflets, sent sixteen million messages, and made fifteen million robocalls, all to warn civilians away from areas, and buildings, that were soon to be targeted. Does that sound like “banditry” and “state terrorism” to you?
He said recent steps that Turkey has taken to improve ties with Egypt and Syria are aimed at “forming a line of solidarity against the growing threat of expansionism,” which he said also threatened Lebanon and Syria.
“The threat of expansionism”? What can Erdogan be thinking of? Israel has no desire to be in Gaza; every last Israeli was pulled out of the Strip in 2005. And right now, just as soon as a permanent ceasefire can be achieved, the Israelis are looking forward to withdrawing from every part of Gaza except, possibly, the nine-mile-long strip on the Gaza-Egypt border, known as the Philadelphi Corridor, where they might remain to prevent renewed arms smuggling by Hamas. No one in Israel wants to stay in Gaza a moment longer than necessary. And in Lebanon, similarly, Israel has no desire to “expand” into southern Lebanon. Its only goal is to inflict so much pain on the terror group Hezbollah that it will stop firing rockets into the Galilee, thus allowing 60,000 displaced Israelis to return to their homes in the north. Nor does Israel want to “expand” into Syria. All it wants is to prevent Iran from using Syria as a way station in its transshipment of weapons to Hamas. Erdogan can prate all he wants about the “danger” of “expansionism” by the Jewish state, but he knows it is nonsense. The real power that is expanding, not in land area but in its ever-deepening hold on its proxies in the region, is Iran, which supplies weapons, and money, to Hamas in Gaza, to Hezbollah in Lebanon, and to the Houthis in Yemen, and to the Kata’ib Hezbollah, a Shiite militia in Iraq.
Mike says
Erdogan is a very pathetic, small-minded little man. He is not fit to shine Attaturk’s shoes, if Attuturk were alive today.
gravenimage says
+1
Jack Reynolds says
It is just a matter of time before Turkey is booted out of NATO.
.
It is just a matter of time before the Straits of Bosphorus are once again the border between Europe and the Middle East.
.
gravenimage says
I hope so, Jack. Certainly, Turkey would never qualify to join NATO today.
Ray Jarman says
+1 GravenImage. In the 1980s when I worked at SHAPE HQS. in Mons, Belgium the Greek delegation was at one end of the building and the Turks were at the far end of the building just to keep peace between them and I would be very curious about that today. Also, the Turks manned the gates and part of their salaries were paid by the U.S. government.
GE says
The invasion of Cyprus is part of it.
Just like the denial of the genocide in Anatolia, they suppress anything that doesn’t glorify their evil antics.
https://www.ekathimerini.com/culture/1247926/turkey-lobbies-netflix-to-confine-tv-series-famagusta-to-greece/
gravenimage says
Agreed, Ray and Greek Empress.
And while Erdogan is (comparatively) new, the Turkish denial of the Armenian Genocide dates way back. Turkey being in NATO is really more a relic of the Cold War than anything else.
peter11 says
You are exactly right !
peter11 says
You are exactly right !
peter11 says
You are exactly right !
࿗Infidel࿘ says
Really? NATO still treats Turkey as indispensable, since they have the 2nd largest army in NATO after the US, and are right next to Russia. Of course, if NATO had revised its foreign policies in 1993, that wouldn’t have been necessary. What makes it worse is that they have no mechanism to expel anybody
NATO is evil, and Turkey definitely belongs in it. We don’t, and neither does Greece, Bulgaria, and a lot of members of the alliance
gravenimage says
Actually, Infidel, nations not wantitng to be invaded by Russia is not evil.
Ray Jarman says
True, and during the cold war, Turkey was a key player since it bordered the USSR and the US had a far reaching post very close to the border on a very high point that was able to monitor Soviet military buildups.
gravenimage says
True, Ray. But even during the Cold War Turkey was a problematic ‘ally’, Ray, with the Armenian Genocide just a few decades in the past–and now it makes even less sense.
Leonidas says
Islam is a global threat.
Fortunately Islam ( submission)will collapse ,like USSR in 1989,if we DENOUNCE PSEUDO PROPHET MUHAMMAD,who according to his biography( Sira) and traditions( Hadith) was a pedophile( wife Aisha was 9 yo), rapist, murderer, bandit (keeping20% of the booty for himself),liar and sex-slave trader and also LIBERATE THE MUSLIM WOMEN from barbaric Sharia Law.The Koran states women are dumb, less intelligent than men,wives must be beaten for disobedience by their husbands ,all women will go to hell unless in the last day their husband says he was pleased with her and all women must hide their curves and wear burkas ,so that men will not be aroused to rape them.Islam is a misogynistic ,violent , imperialist political ideology of Arab male supremacy ISLAMOFASCISM(~70%), DISGUISED AS A RELIGION(~ 30%) that strives through violent Jihad and soft cultural Jihad of immigration ( dawa)to subjugate the World.Jihadists are promised, if killed battling infidels-kafirs,) they will go to Paradise to enjoy 72 virgins ,taking along 70 of their relatives regardless of their sins!Withdraw from UN MIGRANT COMPACT ,that falsely claims immigration is a Human Right expecting Western countries to accept and provide for an endless number of muslim illegal immigrants ,thus islamizing them. Muslim “refugees “should stay in Turkey or vast rich Saudi Arabia ,until they can return to their countries.We must denounce islamic Sharia (=way)law of blasphemer,apostate ,homosexual , adulterer and hypocrite executions,misogyny,honor killings by stoning,hand amputations for theft,child brides,girls exclusion from schools,halal meat from tortured animals,clitorectomies,circumcisions,subjugation and segregation of women,burkas and Sharia banning of short skirts,bikinis,dancing,singing,painting ,sculptures of people,dogs,pork,alcohol and beauty contests .Demand gender equality for ALL muslim women.Punish severely those that kill apostates from Islam,blasphemers,adulterers or muslim hypocrites.Islam is incompatible with our freedom of speech, gender equality, values,way of life, Human Rights.
Tony Rice says
Erdogan is a pain, that is for sure. Removing Turkey from NATO could create problems, he would soon link up with Russia and Iran, THE forces of evil. And hopefully the EU will not let Turkey join, Germany already has millions of Turks there. Causing trouble as Muslims do.
Ray Jarman says
Tony Rice, As long as Poland, Hungary, Greece and a few other countries are in the E.U., I don’t see Turkey becoming a member since it takes a unanimous affirmative vote to permit its entry.
FYI says
An islamic alliance to destroy Israel?
Zechariah 12 v 9
Zechariah 14 v 12
Remember who owns Israel
“MY LAND”
Jeremiah 2:7
it’s not “allah’s land is it?
allah the kaaba cult god:hu baal is NOT YHWH the God of Israel
The allahuakbars just don’t get it..
John Smith says
FYI You know your stuff alright, you most definitely do
John Smith says
FYI You know your stuff alright, you most definitely do
gravenimage says
Erdogan’s Excellent Adventure: An ‘Islamic Alliance’ to Destroy Israel
……………………………..
Of course, Israel is not expanding–they unilaterally left Gaza in 2005, qnd now are just defending themselves against Hamas’ genocidal attack. But Erdogan doesn’t care about this, of course, when he can score points with the Ummah.
Remember when Turkey was considered “moderate”?
peter11 says
If Islam is a snake moderate slam is the grass it hides in!
gravenimage says
Good simile, Peter.
Mike says
Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure:
“Go forth, and be excellent to each other!”
Erdogan’s Excellent Adventure:
“Go forth, and genocide all the Jews and Israelis!”
࿗Infidel࿘ says
I just hope the Arabs remember how Erdogan tried to horn in on Syria during the civil war, and are as suspicious of him as they are of Iran
Mick says
Time to focus on Turkey’s military alliance with Azerbaijan against Armenia; Turkey’s 22 dams on the Tigris and Euphrates; Israel’s arms supply to its “staunch” ally Azerbaijan
Why no mention of West Bank settlers in final para?
Walter Sieruk says
The title of this jihadwatch article should really be “Erdogan’s Muslims fantasy of an Islamic alliance to destroy Israel” this is his jihad-minded daydream . Nevertheless ,if such an Islamic alliance of Islamic forces to eliminate actually did it would be completely be unsuccessful.
For the jihadists who belong to the different terror Islamic terror /murder organizations may well be scheming for the conquering Israel and destroying her, and then all nations for a worldwide dominance of Islam with its Sharia.
As the Bible in Proverbs, 10:28 reads, “The hope of the righteous will be gladness, but the expectation of the wicked will perish.” [N.K.J.V.]
Furthermore, all the Muslims who are jihadists of all those Islamic terror entities joining the forces to take over the world for Islam will not only fail in that Islamic goal but they not get away with their united actions and schemes with impunity.
For the Bible informs its reader “Though they join forces, the wicked will not go unpunished.” Proverbs 11:21.
Walter Sieruk says
As much as Erdogan wants and hopes for an Islamic military alliance to destroy Israel, once and for all.
Even f that daydream of Erdogan of such a joined armed Islam power of the Muslim nations to destroy the Jewish State of Israel would occur it would be never be successful.
The reason why this is so is because God loves Israel and will protect her by keeping her from being destroyed. In fact, God loves that He even view Israel as His “special treasure.”
As the Bible informs its reader “For the Lord has chosen Jacob for Himself Israel for His special treasure.” Psalm 135:4. [N.K.J.V.]
Rick Smith says
Muslims have clearly never read the Art of War by Sun Tzu, otherwise they’d know not to mess with Israel and the West…technically the US/Israel are joined at the hip, except when there are scummy Dems in power, then they always throw them under the bus…but once the Republicans are back in power, then ofc Israel would have the US’s full backing.
So if Erdogan wants to pick a fight with the ‘little Satan,’ the ‘Big Satan’ has his back. This guy is a foolish clown, drunk on power and bloodlust for global conquest…they never learn from history how human civilizations deal with his kind…ask Hitler.
But I’d love nothing more than WW3 against Islam so we can rid the world of this cancer…so pls big mouth Erdogan, put your money where your mouth is…now would be a good time to attack Israeli too since dementia Joe is still in power, unite with your fellow terrorist-scum nations like Iran, get the battle going, because while Muslims talk about erasing Israel off the map, Israel can actually do it to Islamic states given its arsenal of nukes.