Hamas chief lauds Turkey as 'source of power' for Muslims
AFP , Saturday 27 Dec 2014
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/118943/World/Region/Hamas-chief-lauds-Turkey-as-source-of-power-for-Mu.aspx

Hamas chief Khaled Meshaal on Saturday praised Turkey as a "source of
power" for all Muslims in gratitude to Turkey's leaders for supporting the
Palestinian cause.

"A democratic, stable and developed Turkey is a source of power for all
Muslims," Meshaal said in an address to the ruling Justice and Development
Party (AKP) annual congress in the conservative central Anatolian city of
Konya.

Meshaal said a "strong Turkey means a strong Jerusalem, a strong Palestine,"
voicing hopes to "liberate Palestine and Jerusalem," according to the
state-run Anatolia news agency.

His brief address was interrupted repeatedly by cheering crowds in the hall
waving Turkish and Palestinian flags and chanting: "Allahu Akbar (God is
greatest)" and "Down with Israel!"

The Hamas chief often shows up at the ruling party's events. He also
attended the AKP's congress in 2012 when President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was
serving as prime minister.

Current Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, in his speech said Turkey's red flag
featuring a crescent with a star was a "symbol of the innocent in the
world."

"God is witness ... we will make this red flag a symbol of the innocent.
This red flag will fly side by side with the flags of Palestine, free Syria
and all other innocents' flags anywhere in the world," he told the congress.

Turkey's leaders, in particular Erdogan, are known for their angry outbursts
at Israel. A staunch supporter of the Palestinian cause, Erdogan has often
blasted the Jewish state over its military assaults on the Gaza Strip, which
is ruled by Hamas.
________________________________________
IMRA - Independent Media Review and Analysis

Since 1992 providing news and analysis on the Middle East with a focus on Arab-Israeli relations

Website: www.imra.org.il

For free regular subscription:
Subscribe at no charge: imra-subscribe@imra.org.il
Unsubscribe: imra-unsubscribe@imra.org.il

For free daily digest subscription:
Subscribe at no charge: imra-subscribe-digest@imra.org.il
Unsubscribe: imra-unsubscribe@imra.org.il

IMRA is now also on Twitter
http://twitter.com/IMRA_UPDATES