Turkey’s Erdogan: Islamic Countries Should Form Alliance Against “Israel’s Growing Expansionism”

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday, September 7, that Islamic countries should form an alliance against what he called “the growing threat of expansionism” from Israel. 

He made the comment after describing what Palestinian and Turkish officials said was the killing by Israeli troops of a Turkish-American woman taking part in a protest on Friday against settlement expansion in Judea and Samaria. 

“The only step that will stop Israeli arrogance, Israeli banditry, and Israeli state terrorism is the alliance of Islamic countries,” Erdogan said at an Islamic schools’ association event near Istanbul. 

He said recent steps that Turkey has taken to improve ties with Egypt and Syria are aimed at “forming a line of solidarity against the growing threat of expansionism,” which he said also threatened Lebanon and Syria. 

Erdogan hosted Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in Ankara last week. They discussed the Gaza war and ways to further repair their long-frozen ties during the first such presidential visit in 12 years. (JPost/VFI News)

“Lord, we continue to pray for peace in our country and region, and that all violence will end. We hope that there will be no more conspiracies against Israel and that we will be able to live and coexist with all of our neighbors. We pray that in any scenario, You will protect us from anyone wishing harm upon us and deliver us from our enemies. You are our rock, our fortress, our shield, and our Savior and we trust in You regardless of temporary circumstances. We thank You for being who You are, for having the will that You have, for being loving, just, and merciful.”