The relationship between Israel and Turkey is at breaking point
But the Turkish president is desperate to avoid a regional war
Turkish flags flew at half-mast on August 2nd, to the bemusement of many Turks. No Turkish grandee had died. The reason was the assassination, orchestrated by Israel, of Ismail Haniyeh, the political leader of Hamas, in next-door Iran. Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, had reacted to the killing by declaring a day of national mourning. The same day, Turkey blocked access to Instagram, accusing the social-media platform of taking down posts in memory of Haniyeh.
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This article appeared in the Middle East & Africa section of the print edition under the headline “War of words”
Middle East & Africa September 7th 2024
From the September 7th 2024 edition
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