World
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrives in Berlin on November 17, 2023. Photo: Turkish Presidency
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday arrived in Berlin after his recent remarks on Israel have drawn the ire of many in the West.
Arriving in the German capital, Erdogan was welcomed by his counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier. He is expected to meet with Chancellor Olaf Scholz later in the evening, according to Turkish state media.
Bilateral relations and Israel’s war with the Palestinian Hamas movement are among key topics of discussion in Erdogan’s meetings with German leaders, Anadolu Agency reported.
This is Ergogan's first visit to Germany since 2020.
There has been growing opposition to the Turkish leader’s trip to Berlin from German politicians due to Erdogan’s fiery remarks against Israel and his support for Hamas.
Erdogan earlier this week called Israel a “terror state” and described Hamas as “liberators.”
The military wing of Hamas carried out a surprise attack against Israel on October 7, killing 1,200 people, mostly civilians, according to Israel. Tel Aviv’s retaliatory attacks on the Gaza Strip have resulted in the death of more than 11,000 people, many of them children, according to Hamas-run health authorities in the Palestinian enclave.
"We have always had difficult partners whom we have to deal with," Scholz's spokesman Steffen Hebestreit was quoted saying by the AFP, adding that the controversial visit will be “challenging given the current circumstances.”
Ankara-Berlin ties have been strained in recent years, with German leaders criticizing Turkey for cracking down on dissidents at home.
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