In a move set to draw substantial attention, President Tayyip Erdogan is set to participate in what many anticipate to be one of the most significant pro-Palestinian gatherings since the Israel-Hamas conflict erupted. This rally, scheduled for Saturday, strategically targets his Islamist political support base, coinciding with the eve of Turkiye’s secular republic’s centenary.Political experts suggest that Erdogan’s planned address in Istanbul serves a dual purpose: to bolster his mounting critique of Israel’s relentless airstrikes on the Gaza Strip and to cast a shadow over the upcoming Sunday festivities dedicated to Turkiye’s secular heritage.While Turkiye has unequivocally denounced the loss of Israeli civilian lives during Hamas’s actions on October 7th in southern Israel, Erdogan’s recent rhetoric has taken a different stance. He has chosen to refer to the militant group as “Palestinian freedom fighters.”
