Controversial Post by Israeli Internal Security Minister About Turkey

Kokcha News Agency – Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel’s Minister of National Security, has stirred controversy with a social media post that is rapidly circulating in Turkish online spaces. The post comes in response to Turkey’s decision to sever economic ties with Israel and close its airspace to Israeli flights.

In the post, Ben-Gvir shared an image of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan shaking hands with Ismail Haniyeh, the former head of Hamas’ political bureau, accompanied by the caption:
“Turkey equals Hamas.”

This provocative statement has ignited a wave of reactions in Turkey, with many criticizing Ben-Gvir for equating the Turkish state with the Palestinian militant group. The post has further strained already tense relations between Israel and Turkey, which have been deteriorating since the escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Turkey’s decision to cut economic ties and close its airspace to Israel was seen as a strong statement of solidarity with Palestine, particularly in the wake of recent violence in Gaza. However, Ben-Gvir’s post has added fuel to the fire, with Turkish officials and social media users condemning the comparison as inflammatory and disrespectful.