Turkey's Erdogan to Jewish leaders: Antisemitism is 'crime against humanity'

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan denounced antisemitism and announced his plans to visit Israel, in a meeting with 15 Jewish leaders in New York on Wednesday.

The conversation, initiated by Erdogan, included attendees from the Conference of Presidents and various other Jewish organizations, as well as rabbis, leaders of the Turkish Jewish community, and Turkish Jewish Americans.

“I have an open channel with President [Isaac] Herzog and now I also have an open channel with [Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu,” he said.

Erdogan added that he was excited to pray at al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.

Always a pleasure to spend time with my distinguished friend Turkiye's President @RTErdogan who hosted earlier today a select group of U.S. Jewish leaders at the Turkish House during #UNGA78.Touched on a host of issues including President Erdogan's upcoming plans to visit Israel pic.twitter.com/RMGxKdqZF0

— Rabbi Marc Schneier (@RabbiMSchneier) September 20, 2023

William Daroff, CEO of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations (COP), told The Jerusalem Post that the talk was warm and engaging.

“He reiterated his commitment to fostering a stable and productive relationship with the State of Israel and expressed his determination to combat antisemitism, which he labeled a ‘crime against humanity,’” he said.

“The hour-long conversation also touched on the upcoming visits of Prime Minister Netanyahu to Turkey and President Erdogan to Israel. The Jewish leaders present pledged their support for these visits and their dedication to further enhancing the relationship,” Daroff concluded.

The comments came only a day after Netanyahu and Erdogan had their first face-to-face meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.

Strained relations between the two leaders

Tensions between the leaders had escalated over the last several years but were softened earlier this year when Herzog visited the country. Ankara has also been looking to reopen to Israeli business collaboration and tourism after COVID-19 left its economy struggling.

The history between the two nations has been challenged. At the 2019 UNGA, Erdogan questioned Israel’s borders and displayed a Palestinian propaganda map purportedly illustrating the shrinkage of Palestine since Israel’s creation.

Netanyahu responded by branding Erdogan a liar. This exchange was just one in a series of harsh words they had for each other.

On the other hand, Turkey helped foil an Iranian-backed plot to kill Israelis in Istanbul at the beginning of last year.