Erdogan’s clear stance: Hamas is not a terrorist organization but a resistance group defending its country

President of the Republic of Türkiye, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in an interview with the American “NBC News,” stated that he does not consider Hamas a terrorist organization but rather a resistance group defending its country, Anadolu Agency reported.

Erdogan, who was in New York for the 79th United Nations General Assembly, gave the interview to Keir Simmons of NBC News.

The Turkish president spoke about the Israeli massacres in Gaza and responded to a question about Türkiye’s relationship with Hamas.

“We are against terrorists. But I am one of the leaders who knows Hamas well. I have never called Hamas a terrorist organization. And at present, I do not consider Hamas a terrorist organization. Because Hamas is a resistance group trying to protect its country. So how can I call such a resistance group a terrorist organization?” Erdogan stated.

In response to a question about the events of October 7, Erdogan emphasized that the suffering of the Palestinian people before this process must not be forgotten.

“Since 1947, Palestine has been continuously losing its territory. When we look behind the scenes, unfortunately, we must be well aware of the reasons that have created the conditions for what happened on October 7. These reasons need to be well understood. And when we examine how many Palestinians have been killed behind the curtain, the picture is completely different,” Erdogan explained.

In the part of the interview concerning Ukraine, when asked how Ankara views Ukraine’s NATO membership, Erdogan said that they will consider the steps taken by all NATO countries on this issue.
“America does not want Ukraine to become a NATO member at all. Many NATO countries do not want Ukraine to become a NATO member. We must make a decision by recognizing these facts,” Erdogan stated.

Noting that Ukraine’s NATO membership is a matter that requires careful deliberation, Erdogan continued:

“When making decisions on such matters, of course, we take into account the positions of all NATO members and make decisions accordingly. For now, the stance of all NATO countries is as it is. We will make the final decision by monitoring developments. These decisions are not made in haste.”

When Simmons asked, “Have you made a decision on this matter?”, Erdogan responded:
“No.”