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Turkey vowed on July 12 to oppose NATO’s cooperation with Israel. During a press conference at the 75th NATO Summit, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, “Until comprehensive, sustainable peace is established in Palestine, attempts at cooperation with Israel within NATO will not be approved by Turkey.” Foreign Minister Israel Katz rebuffed Erdogan’s statement on X: “First of all, Erdogan, you decide nothing. Furthermore, a country like Turkey, which supports the murderers and rapists of Hamas and the Iranian axis of evil, should not be a member of NATO.”
One day earlier, Erdogan called for sanctions on Israel over what he falsely claimed are war crimes and violations of international law. Erdogan also argued that Western nations that provide Israel with weaponry “do so at the expense of being complicit in these violations.” Turkey singled out the United States, claiming it “disregards these violations and provides Israel with the most support.”
Since 2011, Turkey has actively backed Hamas with materiel and political support. Since Hamas’s October 7 massacre, Erdogan has served as Hamas’s primary apologist and an outspoken critic of Israel. Erdogan has repeatedly met with Hamas leadership, most recently hosting Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh in April. On May 2, Turkey suspended trade with Israel. On June 30, Turkey refused refueling services to an El Al flight after it made an emergency landing in Antalya.
Expert Analysis
“Walking away from the NATO Summit empty-handed and largely unnoticed, Erdogan is using the occasion to make provocative statements to reach the headlines of Turkish media outlets. Erdogan stands isolated among fellow NATO allies, pursuing a nefarious agenda to undermine Israel. While alliance members consider how to counter the threats posed by China and Russia, Erdogan is interested in cultivating ties with the West’s greatest rivals. Before the NATO Summit, he reiterated Turkey’s desire to join the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and he actively works to support Russia’s war against Ukraine. His Israel outburst at the summit is the icing on the cake, firmly demonstrating Ankara’s loathing for the Western alliance.” — Sinan Ciddi, FDD Non-Resident Senior Fellow
“Israel is a fellow democracy under nonstop attack by many of the same threats facing NATO today, while perfecting the tactics and technologies needed to defeat them. NATO cannot defeat Putin by attacking democracies that are fighting other members of the same China-led axis of chaos.” — Richard Goldberg, FDD Senior Advisor
NATO and Israel’s Partnership Remains Strong
NATO strongly condemned Hamas’s October 7 massacre, called for the immediate release of all hostages, and said “Israel does not stand alone.” Days after Hamas’s terror attack, numerous NATO allies agreed to contribute “practical support” to Israel. NATO has repeatedly affirmed Israel’s right to defend itself in line with international law and cautioned Iran, Hezbollah, and other terror groups against expanding the Gaza war into a larger regional conflict.
Israel is a partner state to NATO’s 32 member states, as well as one of seven members of NATO’s Mediterranean Dialogue designed to “contribute to security and stability in the wider Mediterranean region.” Over the past 30 years, Israel and NATO have expanded cooperation in areas including science and technology, counterterrorism, civil preparedness, and countering weapons of mass destruction. One month before Hamas’s massacre, NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoană met with Israeli leaders, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, in Israel and praised the “close, long-standing partnership” between Israel and NATO.
