Turkish President's Attempt to Take Advantage of New Zealand Attacks

• 00.00.0000, 00:00
•  Region,  World

Statements from various sides came to condemn the March 15 New Zealand attack. Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's statement is particularly noteworthy.

Following the mosque attacks, Turkey called for an urgent meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. The Turkish president made even more remarkable statements:

-  As people were fighting anti-Semitism after the Holocaust, so should they do against the rising Islamophobia.

- We must emphasize that there is absolutely no difference between the murderer who murdered innocent people in New Zealand and those who committed terrorist acts.

- They try us from 16,500 km. It is not an individual but organized case.

Erdogan further pointed out that the terrorists will pay, if New Zealand does not make them pay, Turkey will do.

If we come to analyze the above-mentioned statements, Erdogan tries to equate the victims of Holocaust to the victims of attacks in New Zealand, thus attempting to kick start the fight against Islamophobia and show up as the father of the Islamic world and boosting his reputation in the Islamic world. Erdogan with his political and religious statements has always tried to stand for Islam and the Islamic world. In the given case he spoke on behalf of 83 million people.

Ahead of the local elections in Turkey, Erdogan's statements made against the backdrop of New Zealand attack are addressed to the domestic audience, moreover aim to beef up the reputation of the AKP.

Given the disagreements between Erdogan and Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison, it could be concluded that Erdogan tried to show his people that he is not afraid of any country and is ready to "fight" everyone for preserving Islam.

To recap, Recep Tayyip Erdogan tried to take advantage of this tragic incident, that left dozens of casualties, for his own political interests and for gaining dividends and strengthening his position both in his country and in the Islamic world.