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Erdogan's Turkey Intensifies Involvement in Gaza and Jerusalem

(Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs) Pinhas Inbari - Turkey, under President Erdogan, is intervening throughout the Middle East. Turkey is interested in Gaza because Gaza is ruled by the Muslim Brotherhood affiliate, Hamas, which Turkey wishes to bring under its wing, and it is interested in Jerusalem to facilitate the "saving of al-Aqsa." In east Jerusalem, many of the alleyways of the Old City and in the streets outside the Old City Wall have at times been festooned with Turkish flags flying on every corner, including at the entrances to the Temple Mount, while pro-Turkish demonstrations take place on the Mount itself. A Turkish cultural center has opened, offering courses in Turkish, Turkish musical concerts, and cultural speakers, who are building up the connection between the residents of east Jerusalem and Turkish culture. Turkey has also infiltrated the city's Muslim establishment, primarily the Supreme Muslim Council. Meanwhile, Turkey is gaining control of the mosques on the Temple Mount via extensive Turkish religious tourism. At a conference of mosque prayer leaders held in Istanbul on July 14, signs appeared at the al-Aqsa session showing pilgrims taking over the Temple Mount compound with Turkish flags and tents in which they hold a sit-down strike and declare that they have restored the site to Muslim rule. The conference organizers sought to teach prayer leaders throughout the Muslim world about the necessity of liberating Jerusalem. This way, the work of taking over the Temple Mount will occur after a training period at mosques around the Muslim world.
2018-06-15 00:00:00
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