Protestors unite outside Tel Aviv’s Turkish Embassy to protest against PM Erdogan
By: Daniel Koren
Israeli civilians gathered together at the Turkish Embassy in Tel Aviv earlier this week to protest in solidarity with the Turkish people, and against current Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
“We protest in solidarity with all of those who face injustice,” said one such protestor, Ronen Levi.
The group have the support of Turkish Israeli leaders, who believe the movement brings Turks and Israelis closer together, and establishes strong ties between the two nations. The protest was held peacefully, and with a mandate of promoting coexistence between the Jewish and Muslim peoples.
Several Turkish Muslims involved with the protest reaffirmed their hopes for better Israeli-Turkish relations, including one Okzan Canpolot, who declared his love for Israel, and the fact that he has the freedom to protest there, whereas in Istanbul he does not. He has described the ultimate goal for Turkey as to establish true democracy in what has been seen as a corrupt and severely inequitable territory.
“We are against what is happening in Turkey. We want justice. What is happening is very bad. Erdogan is oppressing the people,” added Turkish Muslim protestor Hussein Kargi.
The daughter of a Turkish Jewish community leader, Viket Sadi Raz, was also in attendance at the protests in Tel Aviv. Growing up, she had great memories of a free and democratic Turkey. But since Erdogan’s rise to power, freedom has become more of a facade than an actuality. “It made me feel that it was not my country,” she said.
However, with the power of protest, Raz is able to remain optimistic.
Many Israeli protestors have been making trips to Istanbul to join the protests and ‘fight for freedom,’ according to Avi Blecherman, an Israeli with absolutely no Turkish blood who feels very strongly about the political and economic strife facing Turkey. “One doesn’t need to be a Turkish Jew to want to be part of it,” he said.
Blecherman also added that, contrary to popular belief, many Turkish were appreciative and proud to have Israelis protest along with them in solidarity.
Protests in Turkey currently continue to sway the country’s landscape.
The Turkish Interior Ministry has estimated around 2.5 million have taken part in demonstrations since tensions began to rise there early last month.
SHALOMLIFE, June 24th, 2013
