Russia, Iran condemn US strike in Syria as Britain, Turkey give support
Russia and Iran condemned a US strike on a Syrian airbase on Friday as Australia, Britain and Turkey gave their support, with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull calling it a “proportionate” response to the use of chemical weapons. US President Donald Trump ordered missile strikes against a Syrian airfield from which a deadly chemical weapons […]
Turkey Is a Dictatorship Masquerading as a NATO Democracy
In the lead-up to Turkey’s constitutional referendum on April 16, Selahattin Demirtas, the co-chair of the opposition pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), sits in prison on charges of terrorism. With his voice effectively muzzled, he has taken to writing short stories, the latest of which is “Aleppo Mince,” where one of his characters muses, “I […]
Erdogan: Soon Europeans ‘Will Not Walk Safely on Their Streets’
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has warned the European Union (EU) that if the diplomatic spat between Turkey and several European countries continues, Europeans won’t be able to walk their own streets safely. President Erdoğan made the comments Wednesday in what is another increase of tensions between Turkey and the EU that began when Germany and […]
Turkey-Netherlands row: Dutch warn citizens after Erdogan threat
The Netherlands has warned its citizens over travel to Turkey as a row between the countries shows no sign of abating. Germany, Austria and the Netherlands blocked Turkish attempts to hold rallies in those countries. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed retaliation, saying: “Nazism is still widespread in the West”. German Chancellor Angela Merkel rejected […]
Erdogan calls for sanctions on the Netherlands
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday called on international organizations to impose sanctions on the Netherlands amid a diplomatic row between the countries, Reuters reported. Speaking at an event in Kocaeli province, near Istanbul, Erdogan said the Netherlands was acting like a “banana republic”, and criticized European countries for failing to voice criticism for […]
Analysis: Europe challenges Turkey’s Erdogan, why now?
The Netherlands is a “Nazi remnant,” according Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. On Saturday, Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu was banned from flying to Rotterdam to give a speech, and Family and Social Policy Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya was deported to Germany. She tweeted: “democracy, fundamental rights, human rights and freedoms… all forgotten in […]
Turkish battle over ‘executive presidency’ prompts tensions with the Netherlands and divisions at home
So far in a rancorous campaign season, the Turkish government or its opponents have invoked Nazi Germany, terrorist groups, fifth columnists and a Latin American dictator. And that was in the campaign’s first two weeks. There is more than a month to go before a referendum in April that will allow Turks to vote on constitutional […]
In push to reclaim Raqqa, Trump’s choices range from bad to worse
U.S. President Donald Trump’s push against Islamic State in Syria could present him with an unenviable choice: Alienate NATO ally Turkey by relying on Kurdish fighters or adopt a plan that may slow the assault and require many more U.S. combat forces. The objective of the coming U.S.-backed offensive is the city of Raqqa, Islamic […]
Turkey dismisses 4,400 public servants in latest post-coup attempt purge
The Turkish government has dismissed more than 4,400 public employees, including hundreds of academics, in a fresh round of purges that have in the past elicited criticism from the country’s western allies. The dismissals, which spanned the education ministry, gendarmerie, security services, as well as the ministries of the interior, economy and foreign affairs, came […]
Israel and Turkey to resume diplomatic dialogue after six years
Yuval Rotem, Director-General of the Israeli Foreign Ministry, will travel to Turkey on Tuesday where he will hold a diplomatic dialogue with local officials, for the first time in over six years. Rotem’s visit to Ankara will continue until Thursday and will include, in addition to meeting with his Turkish counterpart, meetings with government officials, […]