Erdogan to visit Germany; Gaza, NATO & fighter jets on the table: FT

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Financial Times
17 Nov 2023 14:53

The German government is deploying 1,500 police in anticipation of protests against Erdogan.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Germany's Chancellor Olaf Scholz speak to the media after their talks, in Ankara, Turkey, Monday, March 14, 2022. (AP)

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz welcomed Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Berlin today, marking Erdogan's first visit to Germany in three years, The Financial Times reported.

The timing of the meeting adds an extra layer of sensitivity as it unfolds against the backdrop of the Israeli aggression against Gaza: with the two NATO member states sympathizing with opposing sides.

Erdogan's recent remarks condemning "Israel" and accusing the occupation of "fascism", with Scholz describing the claims as "absurd", have strained diplomatic relations between the two states.

Furthermore, the Turkish President's strong language, labeling those not speaking out against Israeli aggression as being complicit in the crimes, directly clashes with Germany's commitment to Israeli security and existence as a "raison d'état" for Berlin's foreign policy.

Immigration, capital, and NATO

The visit has been controversial in Germany; the German government deployed 1,500 police in anticipation of protests against Erdogan. Also, the president of Germany's Central Council of Jews said that the Turkish President is "no partner" of Germany.

Despite the diplomatic tensions, the meeting addresses significant issues. Turkey seeks Western capital for its economic recovery and aims to purchase Typhoon jets, a move currently blocked by Berlin.

On the other side, the matter of Sweden's NATO bid, a high priority for Germany, is being blocked by Ankara.

Amid these international concerns, the domestic issue of immigration takes center stage. Turkey's role as a key partner in the EU's efforts to control migration adds another layer of complexity to the discussions.

Unprecedented support for 'Israel'

Germany has been a firm supporter of "Israel" throughout its genocidal war against Gaza.

Compared to the same period in 2022, Germany has boosted its arms shipments to "Israel" by about ten times since the beginning of the year.

The majority of the sales were approved after October 7, according to a report published on November 8 by German television Tagesschau, which cited the Economy Ministry.

The broadcaster quoted the Ministry as saying, in response to a request submitted by Tagesschau's parent company, the ARD media group, that as of November 2, the German government permitted weaponry exports worth 303 million euros ($324 million), a tenfold increase compared with 2022.

Early in October, the German Economy Ministry said that with 3.3 billion euros in authorized shipments, Ukraine led the list of countries receiving Germany's military exports, followed by the United States (466 million euros) and Hungary (1.03 billion euros).