Arab Social Media Overwhelmingly Critical Of Erdogan’s Reconciliation With Israel

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks during a political rally in Strasbourg, east
FREDERICK FLORIN/AFP/Getty

JAFFA, Israel – Masses of Arab social media users attacked Turkish President Recep Tayip Erdogan for Monday’s reconciliation pact with Israel, which some dubbed “a shameful concession.”

Erdogan, whose hostile approach to Israel had been lauded in the Arab world, was criticized across the board, even on the normally sympathetic Al Jazeera network.

“Is normalization with Israel treason?” Khaled asked, and answered: “Yes! Doesn’t it apply to Turkey as well, or is the Caliph [Erdogan] immune to criticism?”

Naif wrote: “I now want to see the faces of the Zionist Muslim Brotherhood!”

Ali blamed the Arabs for shunning Turkey, pushing it toward Israel. “It’s all because of the Saudis and the Arabs who boycotted Turkey and undermined its position,” he wrote. “The only allies it had left were Israel and Iran.”

“This is Erdogan!!!” Abdualaziz wrote. “Where are all those who say that he is the servant of Islam and the Muslims?!”

“Now they’ll say that Erdogan is allowed to do what others aren’t,” Nasser tweeted.

“LOL the Muslim caliph normalizes ties with Israel,” Khalid wrote.

“What’s wrong with overt normalization?” a commenter retorted. “It’s better than normalization under the table.”
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“He’s not the Muslim caliph,” another replied. “He is the caliph of the Jews.”

“Israel and Turkey normalized relations,” Alfarouq wrote. “Israel will now mediate between Turkey and Russia to end hostilities. Israel played its cards right. The Muslim Brotherhood cannot be trusted.”
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“Turkey has been playing with the Syrian issue and the Syrian people since the crisis began!” Ibnqasuoon wrote. “It turns out that Erdogan’s red lines are fantasy and gobbledygook. All they care about is that the war will be kept outside their borders.”

Muslim Brotherhood sympathizers, who see Erdogan as a world leader representing their views, were also critical.

Yasser Zaatreh, a pro-Hamas and pro-Muslim Brotherhood Jordanian columnist wrote: “I’m against the Turkish-Israeli deal, regardless of Israel’s apology, and despite the achievements it stipulates for Gaza. Any type of normalization is to be condemned, even if the strong relations with the enemy are inherited, as in Turkey’s case.”

One commenter gloated at Zaatreh’s disappointment: “I respect you in the same way Erdogan, the sloganeering buffoon, treated you.”

Syrialander also replied: “I told you a long time ago nothing good would come out of the Muslim Brotherhood. I wrote this to you in [former Egyptian president Mohammed] Morsi’s time, and you were angry at me.”
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