 and a key ally of President Erdoğan, called for an alliance of #Turkey, #Russia and #China to counter what he labeled a “coalition of evil” comprising the #US and #Israel.){kind=link}
Devlet Bahçeli, leader of the far-right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and a key ally of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, called for an alliance of Turkey, Russia and China to counter what he labeled a “coalition of evil” comprising the United States and Israel, in a written statement on Thursday.
Bahçeli is a veteran power broker who leads a far-right movement that has kept Erdoğan’s Justice and Development Party (AKP) in control of parliament in recent years.
In a written statement released by the MHP X account, Bahçeli said an alliance of Turkey, Russia and China should be built, claiming it is the most suitable option for the region.
His statement came as a response to Israel’s military actions in Gaza and the wider region and to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent remarks about Jerusalem.
He had warned that if “Jerusalem falls,” Ankara would “lose” and İstanbul would “burn.”
The call for a Turkey–Russia–China axis marks a stark contrast to Turkey’s formal role as a NATO member and an ally of the United States.
Turkey joined NATO in 1952 and hosts key alliance assets, yet it has deepened ties with Russia on energy and defense and seeks growing trade and technology links with China.
Turkey bought Russia’s S-400 air defense system in 2019, which led to its removal from the US-led F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program and US sanctions under a law known as CAATSA.
Ankara and Moscow back opposing sides in conflicts from Libya to the Caucasus and the recent regime change in Syria, where Turkey supported the opposition and Russia the government of now-ousted President Bashar al-Assad, sparking anti-Turkey sentiment in Russia.
Turkey’s ties with China include trade, infrastructure and technology as well as political friction over the treatment of Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang, although Ankara has toned down its criticism in recent years and cracked down on pro-Uyghur protests.
Bahçeli’s statement came days after Netanyahu used a high-profile ceremony in Jerusalem’s City of David to say, “This is our city, Mr. Erdoğan,” and vowed the city would never be divided again.
Netanyahu in Jerusalem:
Well, we’re here. This is our city. Mr. Erdogan, it’s not your city.
It’s our city. It will always be our city. It will not be divided again. pic.twitter.com/QGjLppp6wS
— Clash Report (@clashreport) September 16, 2025
The event opened a newly excavated “Pilgrimage Road” in East Jerusalem, a site that Israeli authorities present as proof of an ancient Jewish presence and that Palestinians and many international bodies view as part of occupied territory.
Erdoğan responded with a speech that promised continued support for Palestinians in Gaza and warned that Turkey would not step back from Palestinians’ rights in East Jerusalem.
Ruling party spokesman Ömer Çelik said Netanyahu’s words were null and void and described him as the leader of a genocide network.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry has condemned Israel’s ground operation in Gaza City as a new phase of a genocidal plan and urged the UN Security Council to secure a ceasefire and aid access.
The United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry reported this week that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, citing mass civilian killings, destruction of infrastructure and statements by officials that it assessed as evidence of genocidal intent.