RELEASE: Gottheimer Statement on Turkish President Erdoğan
WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Friday, July 12, 2024, U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5), a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, released the following statement:
“President Erdoğan continues to offer dangerous support to Hamas — an Iranian-backed terrorist organization — while using every opportunity to delegitimize the State of Israel. Following the heinous terrorist attacks of October 7, instead of condemning their terrorist acts, Erdoğan praised them as a ‘liberation group’ and ‘freedom fighters.’ There is no place for honoring terrorists who murdered, burned, raped, and kidnapped more than 1,200 people including 44 Americans.
Just this week, I led a bipartisan letter to Secretary of State Blinken regarding Erdoğan’s approach toward Israel and appeasement of Hamas. Now, Erdoğan says NATO should not continue its partnership with Israel. This is ridiculous, but unfortunately fits Erdoğan’s long pattern of undermining NATO. Just a few months ago, he slow-walked Sweden’s admission and, over the past few years. has allied himself with autocratic dictators like Vladimir Putin.
With so much at stake, Erdoğan should be working with the international community, including his NATO allies, to help secure the release of the hostages and end the war. His rhetoric endangers the hostages, including my constituent, Edan Alexander, and emboldens Hamas to walk away from the negotiation table.
If this trend persists, the United States may need to reassess its partnership with Turkey. In the meantime, U.S. leadership and our allies across the world must condemn this harmful rhetoric. President Erdoğan’s words only seek to destabilize key international partnerships and pose a serious risk to our security and the security of our allies.”
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