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Turkey’s new role: How Erdogan is supporting Hamas, challenging Israel - opinion

A Jerusalem Post analysis argues that Turkey, under President Erdogan, has transformed from a difficult partner into a leading anti-Israel regional actor, with support for Hamas and ambitions to lead the Sunni Muslim world, while Qatar’s dual role as US host and Hamas patron is highlighted.

By Tertius News AI Desk 1 outlet · 2 articles Version 1 Coverage Jul 18–20, 2026 Published Aug 14

Lead

In the shifting landscape of the Middle East, Turkey’s role has evolved dramatically, according to analyses in The Jerusalem Post. Once a country that welcomed Israeli tourists and maintained a complex but working relationship with Israel, Turkey under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is now positioning itself as a leading force in the anti-Israel camp, according to two opinion pieces published in the outlet.

Coverage Comparison

The two articles, written by Yaron Buskila and David Ben-Basat, share a critical view of Turkey’s policies but focus on different aspects. Buskila’s piece, dated July 20, 2026, draws on a personal anecdote from a trek in eastern Turkey, using it to illustrate the country’s transformation from within. Ben-Basat’s article, dated July 18, 2026, takes a broader regional view, examining Turkey and Qatar as key players using money, media, and political influence against Israel.

Both pieces emphasize Turkey’s growing military capabilities and its shift in rhetoric. Buskila describes Turkey as evolving from a difficult partner into a regional actor, while Ben-Basat frames Turkey and Qatar as close allies with a long history of political support for the Muslim Brotherhood and hostility toward Israel.

Key Claims

Turkey’s support for Hamas: Both articles assert that under Erdogan’s leadership, Turkey has become a center of political support for Hamas. The articles claim that Turkey has hosted senior Hamas officials over the years and used inflammatory rhetoric against Israel. This is presented as a significant shift from the secular state founded by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.

Qatar’s dual role: Ben-Basat’s article highlights a paradox: Qatar hosts Al Udeid Air Base, described as the largest American military base in the Middle East, while also hosting Hamas leadership in Doha for years. The article notes Qatar’s enormous investments in political and media influence, presenting it as a mediator while acting with duplicity.

Turkey’s strategic assets: Turkey’s membership in NATO and its hosting of the US Air Force at Incirlik Air Base are described as important strategic assets for Washington. The articles argue that Turkey continues to benefit from these ties while pursuing policies hostile to Israel.

Turkey’s military and defense industry: The articles claim Turkey has invested heavily in building one of the region’s most advanced military establishments and has developed a domestic defense industry.

Erdogan’s ambitions: According to the analyses, Erdogan aspires to become the leading Sunni Muslim power and the dominant strategic actor across the Middle East. The articles suggest his statements should not be dismissed as mere rhetoric, as they often represent a political program translated into long-term strategic action.

Weakening of the Axis of Resistance: One article states that the Iranian-led Axis of Resistance has been significantly weakened following sustained Israeli and American operations, creating a vacuum that Turkey seeks to fill.

Call for scrutiny of Erdogan-Trump ties: In a separate claim, the article suggests that the relationship between Erdogan and former US President Donald Trump deserves scrutiny, and that security and ethics officials should examine these matters transparently and in accordance with American legal and security standards.

Perspectives

Jerusalem Post (Yaron Buskila): The article emphasizes Turkey’s internal transformation, noting the erosion of secularism and the cultivation of hostility toward Israel. It argues that Israel’s previous approach of treating Turkey as a complicated but necessary partner is no longer viable.

Jerusalem Post (David Ben-Basat): The article adopts a broader regional perspective, focusing on the dual roles of Turkey and Qatar as US allies with ties to Hamas. It argues that Israel’s enemies now use money, media, and political influence, not just military means.

How this outlet told it

Jerusalem Post as of Jul 18, 2026, 8:00 AM UTC

Framing: Critique of Turkey and Qatar's double game — Critical and alarmist

Facts Included:

Turkey and Qatar's support for Hamas
Qatar's hosting of Al Udeid Air Base
Turkey's membership in NATO
Qatar's sovereign wealth fund
Al Jazeera's influence on public opinion

Read the source article →

Jerusalem Post as of Jul 20, 2026, 6:46 PM UTC

Framing: Turkey's transformation into a regional actor — Analytical and warning

Facts Included:

Turkey's growing military capabilities
Erdoğan's shift in rhetoric from Palestinian cause to leading the Muslim world
Hamas's presence in Turkey
Turkey's aspirations to become the leading Sunni Muslim power

Read the source article →

What was claimed, and who backed it

Each row is one claim, attributed to the outlet whose wording states it most clearly. Confidence rates how directly the source text states the claim — explicit and unhedged rates high; hedged, pieced-together, or internally inconsistent statements rate lower. It does not measure whether the claim is true. Status counts the distinct outlets we found asserting it — so a single-source claim can still show high confidence, and a multi-source claim can show medium. Every one of those outlets is named beside the status, so you can check the count against the list. For claims extracted before we began storing that list, the row says so: it names the outlet the claim is quoted from and states that we have not recorded which outlets backed it. Outlets wrote at different times, so a figure that evolves — a casualty count, for example — can legitimately differ between rows; check the "as of" time next to each claim's source.

Claim	Confidence	Status
ClaimTurkey and Qatar have long been associated with political support for the Muslim Brotherhood and hostility toward Israel.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusSingle-source via Jerusalem Post as of Jul 18, 2026, 8:00 AM UTC
ClaimTurkey has become a center of political support for the Hamas terrorist organization under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's leadership.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusSingle-source via Jerusalem Post as of Jul 18, 2026, 8:00 AM UTC
ClaimQatar hosts Al Udeid Air Base, the largest American military base in the Middle East, while also hosting the leadership of the Hamas terrorist organization in Doha for years.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusSingle-source via Jerusalem Post as of Jul 18, 2026, 8:00 AM UTC
ClaimQatar controls one of the world's largest sovereign wealth funds, managing assets worth more than half a trillion dollars.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusSingle-source via Jerusalem Post as of Jul 18, 2026, 8:00 AM UTC
ClaimTurkey is a member of NATO and hosts the United States Air Force at Incirlik Air Base, one of Washington's most important strategic assets in the region.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusSingle-source via Jerusalem Post as of Jul 18, 2026, 8:00 AM UTC
ClaimTurkey has invested heavily in building one of the region's most advanced military establishments and has developed an impressive domestic defense industry.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusSingle-source via Jerusalem Post as of Jul 20, 2026, 6:46 PM UTC
ClaimErdoğan's relationship with Trump deserves scrutiny, and security and ethics officials should examine these matters with complete transparency and in accordance with American legal and security standards.	ConfidenceMedium	StatusSingle-source via Jerusalem Post as of Jul 18, 2026, 8:00 AM UTC
ClaimThe Iranian-led Axis of Resistance has been significantly weakened following sustained Israeli and American operations.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusSingle-source via Jerusalem Post as of Jul 20, 2026, 6:46 PM UTC
ClaimTurkey aspires to become the leading Sunni Muslim power and the dominant strategic actor across the Middle East under Erdoğan's leadership.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusSingle-source via Jerusalem Post as of Jul 20, 2026, 6:46 PM UTC
ClaimErdoğan's statements should not be dismissed as mere rhetoric, as they often represent a political program translated into long-term strategic action.	ConfidenceHigh	StatusSingle-source via Jerusalem Post as of Jul 20, 2026, 6:46 PM UTC

Transparency & Audit Trail

1 outlet · 2 articles consulted: Jerusalem Post 10 claims extracted Version 1 Written 2026-08-14