Turkish Fairy Tales from Uncle Tayyip

by Burak Bekdil • May 30, 2015 at 5:00 am

It is truly fascinating that Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a professor of political science, believes that Jerusalem, built a millennium before the birth of Islam, is originally a Muslim city.
It is as if, for Davutoglu (and Erdogan), Jerusalem did not exist before 1187. If it did not, why do the Turks talk about "conquest," a euphemism they always seem to prefer to avoid the words "occupation" or "invasion."
Erdogan may be thinking that he is the 21st-century reincarnation of Saladin. So may be his Muslim Brothers or Qatari allies. For the rest of the Muslims, all that is merely "fairy tales from Uncle Tayyip."

Does Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan think of himself as a modern-day Saladin, who will conquer Jerusalem?

It is truly fascinating that Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a professor of political science, believes that Jerusalem, built a millennium before the birth of Islam, is originally a Muslim city. And, according to the Turkish president, -- Saudis should please not get offended -- Jerusalem is the Muslims' "most important Mecca." Jerusalem has always had a spectacular place in a Turkish Islamist's heart and mind. But pre-election fervour in Turkey has lifted "Jerusalem-fetish" to new heights.