Turkey President Accuses Israel Of “Massacre” At Trip In Hungary
By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – Turkey’s president wrapped up his visit to Hungary with a warning to Israel to end its “ongoing massacre” in Gaza, while not mentioning the Hamas atrocities in the Jewish nation that killed 1,200 people.
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan made the remarks at a press briefing with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, a close ally, in Hungary’s capital Budapest.
Erdoğan said the world should pressure Israel for the immediate cessation of “Israeli brutality” in the Gaza Strip.
Israel’s air and ground attacks on Gaza since the October 7 attack by Hamas have killed at least 20,000, including many women and children, said the Hamas-run health ministry.
Those figures have been difficult to verify independently, and it remains unclear how many fighters were killed by Hamas, which Israel regards as a terrorist organization and has pledged to destroy.
Critics say the war has left Gaza in ruins, with half of the coastal territory’s housing stock damaged or destroyed and nearly 2 million people displaced within the enclave amid shortages of food and clean water.
Hungary has expressed support for Israel and its prime minister, and authorities have halted perceived pro-Hamas protests in Budapest. Yet during Erdoğan’s visit, his second to Hungary this year, both leaders agreed this week to tighten and strengthen political and economic ties.
TENSIONS WITH SWEDEN
Hungary and Turkey are the only two NATO member states that have so far not ratified Sweden’s bid to join the transatlantic military alliance after Russia invaded Ukraine.
Earlier this month, Erdoğan made Turkey’s ratification of Sweden’s NATO bid conditional on the United States Congress “simultaneously” approving Ankara’s request for F-16 fighter jets.
Hungary first wants Sweden to repent of its perceived hostile remarks over the government’s perceived lack of democratic credentials and rule-of-law situation.
Budapest condemned Stockholm over its “open hostile attitude”, saying Swedish representatives of being “repeatedly keen to bash Hungary” on rule-of-law concerns.
More than 20 billion euros in EU funding has still been frozen over these issues by Brussels. However, analysts say that after Turkey approves membership, Hungary is expected to ratify Sweden’s entry as well.
Erdoğan arrived in Hungary at a time when the nation remembers the 100th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
“We wish to strengthen further our ties in areas such as defense and energy, where we already have fruitful cooperation,” Erdoğan said, adding that the two countries aimed to increase their trade volume to $6 billion from $4 billion currently.
SEVERAL ACCORDS SIGNED
Both countries signed agreements on Turkey becoming a source for Hungary’s natural gas purchases next year, which is currently heavily dependent on deliveries from Russia.
They also inked cooperation in the area of railway transport with Hungarian and Turkish rail construction companies V-Híd Építő and Gulermak forming an alliance.
Additionally, they signed agreements between Hungary’s national archives and the Turkish presidential office, Hungary’s and Turkey’s state media, and university exchanges between the Hungarian Eötvös Loránd University and Turkey’s Yunus Emre Institute.
Erdoğan was received with military honors in Budapest’s historic Heroes’ Square, nearthe Worthy News’ Budapest bureau, before meeting with Hungary’s first female president, Katalin Novák, and then with Orbán.
Orbán presented Erdogan with the gift of a Nonius horse, seen as a surprise move as the Turkish leader fell off a horse in 2003.
“The gift from one equestrian nation to another,” Orbán explained later. In return, the prime minister was gifted an electric car made in Turkey, a photo of which he posted on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.
“The best deal I’ve ever made! For one horsepower, I got 435. Welcome to Hungary, President Erdoğan!” he wrote.
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