Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Beşir Atalay on Monday blamed the “Jewish diaspora,” as well as international media outlets, for the protests that began in Istanbul in late May and spread throughout the country. “There are some circles that are jealous of Turkey’s growth. They are all uniting, on one side the...

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Conflicting reports regarding plans by Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to visit the Gaza Strip are heightening uncertainty regarding the intentions of the Islamist premier. Turkish television announced overnight that Erdogan would travel to Gaza on July 5, a report that Erdogan’s press secretary promptly shot down. Erdogan has...

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Conflicting reports surrounding the recent resignation of Israeli national security adviser Major-General (res) Yaacov Amidror are calling attention to the complicated economic and geopolitical calculations the country must make in managing its vast newly-found energy reserves. Amidror is one of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s closest advisers. During his term he has...

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The Turkish government’s heavy-handed reactions to weeks of protests have damaged Ankara’s diplomatic standing, rattled the Turkish economy, And eroded the standing of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Observers worry that – rather than attempting to reestablish some measure of political legitimacy and address the demonstrators’ concerns – Turkish officials...

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Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has resumed threatening that he is about to undertake a trip to the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip. A surprise trip: Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Tuesday that a wave of demonstrations at home have delayed preparations for his planned visit to Gaza, but that he nonetheless...

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Turkish diplomats are lashing out against Germany in general, and against German Chancellor Angela Merkel. The German Chancellor on Monday had described herself as “appalled” at Ankara’s heavy-handed response to demonstrators protesting the Islamist government of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Police forces have turned tear gas and spray...

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Turkish security forces have widened a broad arrest sweep targeting anti-government protesters. Hundreds of people are continuing to gather in silent vigils across the country. The ongoing demonstrations have eroded Ankara’s legitimacy domestically and abroad. The European Union issued a declaration expressing concern over the government’s heavy-handed response. Erdogan reacted to the...

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Turkish police arrested dozens of people in Istanbul and Ankara Tuesday as part of a crackdown against anti-government protests that began in late May, with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan claiming by morning that the government had achieved victory in putting down the protests. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on...

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Violence in Turkey continued over the weekend and into Monday. On Saturday thousands of anti-government demonstrators marched in the streets overnight Saturday, and observers noted via social media that demonstrations beginning Monday evening were louder than ever. Louder even than yesterday in my neighborhood … — Claire Berlinski (@ClaireBerlinski) June 17,...

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Thousands of lawyers took to the streets of Ankara and Istanbul Wednesday to protest the detention of dozens of their colleagues by Turkish police. The head of Istanbul’s Bar Association blasted the government: Addressing the lawyers, Ümit Kocasakal, head of Istanbul’s Bar Association, slammed the police crackdown. “The use of...

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