Turkey’s Erdogan Calls Israel ‘Terror State’ Over Palestinian Clashes at Al-Aqsa

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan called Israel a “terror state” on Saturday after Israeli police fired rubber bullets and stun grenades towards rock-hurling Palestinian youth at Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa mosque on Friday. He added that Ankara had launched initiatives to mobilize international institutions.

Speaking at an event in Istanbul, Erdogan called on all Muslim countries and the international community to take “effective” steps against Israel, adding that those who remain silent were “a party to the cruelty there.”

He added that Turkey had “immediately launched the necessary initiatives to get the United Nations, Organization for Islamic Cooperation and all relevant institutions to take action.”

Most Turkish opposition parties echoed the condemnations, in a rare sign of unity.

There was no immediate response to a request for comment from Israel’s Foreign Ministry. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement that law and order would be maintained in Jerusalem as would the right to worship.