Mélina Faccchin, edited by Alexandre Dalifard / Photo credit: Andrej ISAKOVIC / AFP
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08:43, October 31, 2023
As the Israeli army continues to “methodically advance” in the Gaza Strip, the international community is increasingly divided over the war. Lebanon says it is “doing everything possible” not to enter into the conflict. Turkey has now chosen its side. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has remained neutral until now, described Israel as a “war criminal” this weekend. And he accuses the West of being “the main culprit of the massacres in Gaza”. What do the Turks who live in France think about it? Report in front of the great Turkish mosque in Strasbourg.
“I have not heard any European political leaders condemn this massacre”
The subject is sensitive, but the Franco-Turks who agree to talk about it support Recep Tayyip Erdogan when he affirms that the West is the “main culprit of the massacres in Gaza”. “America and the West are one group and Israel draws its strength from that side so yes, they are partly responsible,” said this man as he left the great Turkish mosque in Strasbourg.
“We have more than 8,000 deaths in Palestine and for the moment, I have not heard any European political leaders condemn this massacre. Frankly, it’s revolting,” adds a young woman. “I am not pro-Erdogan,” she clarifies. “But we must be able to say ‘stop’ to Israel.”
“Someone has to say ‘enough’ and Erdogan has done it”
In Alsace, more than 70% of the Turkish community voted for Recep Tayyip Erdogan during the second round of the presidential election last May. A “strong” statesman who absolutely had to take the side of the Palestinians, believe the Franco-Turks met by Europe 1. “Today, if we say nothing, this war could go further, up to a Third World War”, this man fears. “Someone has to say ‘enough’ and Erdogan has done it.” “He stuck to his camp: that of the Muslim peoples or the oppressed peoples,” believes this other passerby. “He said ‘as long as you continue to do this, I cannot play my role as mediator.’
“Mediators with Israel? It’s not possible,” assures a young mother. “Whether it was Turkey or Egypt for example, he would not have listened to them anyway,” she concludes. According to a survey by the Metropoll institute published a few days ago, more than a third (34.5%) of Turks believe, however, that Erdogan should have remained neutral in this war.