Since the war in Gaza began, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has emerged as a prominent critic of Israel, often denouncing it as a terror state and drawing comparisons to Hitler while expressing support for Hamas.
While most NATO members classify Hamas as a terrorist organization, Turkey does not share this view.
Erdogan's vocal support for Hamas has drawn criticism from some Western observers, who question the extent of his backing for the militant group.
Recent developments indicate that Erdogan's stance on Israel and Gaza has not fully satisfied his domestic political base.
Following a significant setback in local elections in March, Erdogan's ruling AK Party faced challenges from smaller conservative parties like the New Welfare party, which took a harder line against Israel and demanded concrete actions rather than just rhetoric.
Political analysts, such as Seda Demiralp from Isik University, suggest that Erdogan may have underestimated the appeal of the New Welfare party and its ability to mobilize conservative voters.
It appears that Erdogan's reliance on strong rhetoric against Israel was not sufficient to retain support from all segments of the electorate, leading to electoral losses for his party.
