Turkish and German leaders air deep differences on the Israel-Hamas war

A: The main source of tension is their differing stances on the Israel-Hamas conflict, with Germany being a staunch ally of Israel and Turkey’s President Erdogan making strong accusations against Israel, including calling it a “terrorist state.”

A: Germany has opposed calls for a cease-fire in the conflict, instead advocating for aid to civilians in Gaza, “humanitarian pauses,” and maintaining open channels of communication with other countries in the region to prevent the conflict from spreading.

A: Erdogan suggested that establishing a humanitarian cease-fire with Germany could help save the region from further destruction and violence, as he expressed concerns about the high number of casualties in Gaza.

A: The recall of diplomats was triggered by Erdogan accusing Israel of committing war crimes. This accusation, along with other contentious statements, strained diplomatic relations between the two countries.

A: Ahead of the visit, Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler mentioned Turkey’s plans to purchase 40 Eurofighter Typhoon jets, with Germany being perceived as impeding the sale of these warplanes produced by several European countries.