President continues to blast Israel’s campaign in Gaza, leaving recent rapprochement process with Jerusalem in doubt; Jerusalem ‘wholeheartedly rejects’ comments

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday that Hamas is not a terrorist organization, but is “mujahideen” defending their homeland.

Israel “can view Hamas as a terrorist organization, along with the West,” said Erdogan, speaking to a gathering of his AK Party faction in parliament. “The West owes you a lot. But Turkey does not owe you anything.”

“Hamas is not a terrorist organization, it is a group of mujahideen defending their lands,” he said to a standing ovation. “Mujahideen” is an Arabic term for those engaged in jihad, or holy war.

Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Lior Haiat said shortly afterward that “Israel wholeheartedly rejects the Turkish president’s harsh words about the terrorist organization Hamas.”

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