Turkey’s main opposition leader, Özgür Özel, sharply criticized President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan following Israel’s interception of the Global Sumud flotilla bound for Gaza, accusing him of weakness toward Israel rooted in a fear of US President Donald Trump.
Speaking in İstanbul’s Silivri district on Thursday, Özel called the raid, in which at least 317 activists were detained, including at least 25 Turkish citizens, “a great depravity.” He demanded that Ankara act immediately to protect its citizens and respond forcefully to Israel. “We all know that the timidity toward Israel comes from a fear of Trump,” he said.
Özel has repeatedly accused Erdoğan of prioritizing concessions to Trump over defending Palestinian rights. In earlier remarks on the two leaders’ September meeting, he lambasted Erdoğan for lowering tariffs, promising multibillion-dollar energy and aviation deals and seeking legitimacy from Trump while remaining silent on Gaza.
President Erdoğan condemned Israel’s boarding of the flotilla as “brutality,” saying the attack on civilians in international waters exposed “Israel’s cruelty” toward Gaza. He had earlier sent greetings to activists aboard, describing the mission as a “fleet of hope” and warning against what he termed “Israeli state terror.”
Erdoğan was also criticized earlier for praising Trump’s efforts to broker a Gaza ceasefire, welcoming US leadership in trying to end the bloodshed.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry labeled Israel’s actions as “unlawful” and a violation of international law, pledging that legal steps would follow to the responsible parties accountable. Ankara has also initiated legal and diplomatic efforts to secure the release of Turkish citizens detained in the raid and pressed Israel to justify its actions.
The latest incident has revived memories in Turkey of the 2010 Mavi Marmara raid, when Israeli commandos stormed a Gaza-bound aid ship in international waters and killed 10 Turkish activists. The assault triggered a deep rupture in Turkish-Israeli relations and led Ankara to expel Israel’s ambassador and suspend military cooperation. Lawsuits were filed in Turkish courts against senior Israeli officials, and Erdoğan repeatedly promised to stand by the families of those killed.
But in 2016 Erdoğan’s government reached a normalization agreement with Israel that included a $20 million compensation payment to the victims’ families in exchange for dropping legal cases. Many relatives denounced the deal as a betrayal, saying they had been excluded from the negotiations and deprived of their right to pursue justice. Their anger has persisted, and critics now argue that Erdoğan’s rhetoric over the Sumud flotilla echoes his earlier promises after Mavi Marmara, words that, they say, were ultimately sacrificed for political expediency.