Political symbolism: Turkey hosts Hamas leaders as if Hamas is a state

• Published date: 21 April 2024
• Author: SETH J. FRANTZMAN
• Publication title: Jerusalem Post, The: Web Edition Articles (Israel)

In the wake of the Hamas massacre of more than 1,000 people and the kidnapping of 250, the largest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust, Hamas has found that it has more clout in Tehran, Moscow, Beijing, Ankara, Doha, and other places. Instead of being isolated after its historic crimes against humanity, Hamas has been embraced. Hamas leaders traveled to Ankara amid a new phase of support for Hamas in the region, which could have major ramifications for the Gaza conflict

A symbol of this embrace occurred in Istanbul on April 20. Hamas leaders were seated in chairs opposite Turkey's top officials, getting a red carpet style reception with the Turkish leader. Ankara was proud of this meeting, distributing a handout about it and posting about it. Turkish media had wall-to-wall coverage. The handout about the meeting shows the Hamas leadership, facing their Turkish counterparts, with Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the middle. Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was hosted at the Dolmabahce Presidential working office in Istanbul.

Ankara has paid lip service to supporting Palestinian unity, but it does not roll out the red carpet like this for the Palestinian Authority. Instead, it sidelines the PA and Mahmoud Abbas. "It is vital that Palestinians act with unity in this process. The strongest response to Israel and the path to victory lie in unity and integrity," Turkey's leader said. However, Ankara could have hosted both Hamas and the PA leadership. It chooses to boost Hamas with this meeting, which is highly symbolic.

The meeting, and others like it in Moscow, Iran, and Doha, have shown that Hamas has received increased support and influence for massacring 1,000 people. No other group in history has massacred 1,000 people, many of them civilians, taken 250 hostages, and then received so many high-level meetings in such a short period of time, including by two US allies in the region. Hamas is hosted by Doha, a major non-NATO ally of the US, and Turkey is a NATO ally. Hamas, therefore, is unique in history as a group that massacred hundreds of civilians and is hosted by Western allies. Hamas still holds 133 hostages.

Hamas reportedly compares its attack to Turkish war of Independence

During the meeting with Hamas, the Turkish leader compared their attacks on Israel to Turkey's war of independence, Turkey's Daily Sabah said. "We are well aware of the cost of saying this but the world must know the truth," Turkey leader said. The report also said that...