The Israeli NGO MEMRI has issued a report titled “Antisemitism Hits New High In Turkey” that examines the startling rise in antisemitism that has accompanied the government of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The report begins:
Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Antisemitic incitement by Turkish government officials, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s oft-repeated statements that Israel is more barbaric than Hitler, and antisemitic accusations and threats by the media that support and promote Turkey’s AKP ruling party have fostered an upsurge in antisemitism in the country. A recent survey by Gonzo Insight, the Turkish polling institute, found that in just 24 hours, on July 17-18, 2014, 27,309 Turkish Twitter users sent 30,926 Turkish-language tweets in support of Hitler’s genocide against the Jews.[1]
In addition to statements by government officials, the pro-AKP media regularly accuse Turkey’s Jews of ‘treason,'[2] and other accusations are also levelled, including connecting Jews with the use of Ebola as a biological weapon in ‘global occupation’ that ‘knows no borders’; in addition, a professor tweeted about sending Jews to Treblinka.
Antisemitism is an accepted part of the government discourse; for example, in protests following the May 2014 mine collapse in Soma, in which over 300 miners died, then-prime minister Erdogan yelled at and scuffled with a miner, calling him ‘sperm of Israel.’
A 2011 report report authored by the GMBDW editor looked at the role of IHH as the lead organization for the June 2010 Gaza Flotilla that was involved in a violent altercation with Israeli naval forces. The report concluded:
There was strong evidence for Turkish governmental involvement in the flotilla with Turkish government support channeled through the Turkish Muslim Brotherhood network.
Far from being merely a humanitarian organization IHH is rather is a highly politicized, Islamist group.
That report also detailed Erdogan’s ideological ties to the Global Muslim Brotherhood network, ties which date back to Erdogan’s affiliation in the 1970s with the World Assembly of Muslim Youth (WAMY), a Saudi charity with known extremist and terrorist groups.
Last month, the GMBDW reported on that Israel has arrested dozens of members of a Hamas terror network said to be funded and directed by Hamas officials in Turkey.
