Turkey’s Islamist president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Barack Obama
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called for the conquest of Jerusalem again in an election appeal this week.
YNet News reported:
Just one week before upcoming parliamentary elections in Turkey, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and officials in his Justice and Development Party (AK Party) found a unique way to try and secure a victory at the polls by calling for the “liberation” of Jerusalem.
“Conquest is Mecca, conquest is Saladin, it’s to hoist the Islamic flag over Jerusalem again; conquest is the heritage of Mehmed II and conquest means forcing Turkey back on its feet,” said Erdoğan in a speech on Saturday in Istanbul before millions who appeared to celebrate 562 years since the Turks captured Constantinople from European Christians.
Erdoğan drew a straight historical line between the capture of Jerusalem from the crusaders by Saladin and the capture of Constantinople to the elections in Turkey due to take place next week. Although state employees were required to send a delegation to the celebration, under the threat of punishment, local media reported that many partakers left during the President’s speech.
Attempts by Erdoğan and his allies to find political support by linking Jerusalem and Islam have formed a clear and solid trend in Turkey. Only a few days ago, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu dedicated a new airport in the south of the country, naming it after Saladin. According to Davutoğlu, “It’s a name that says to the Kurds, to Turkey, and to the Arabs, yes, this is our leader.
