Before Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s visit to Berlin on Friday, the President of the Central Council of Jews, Josef Schuster, does not see Erdoğan as a legitimate political partner for Germany. “Anyone who not only denies Israel’s right to exist, but actively fights it, must not be a partner for German politics,” Schuster told the editorial network Germany (RND). “The Chancellor must use the Turkish President’s visit to make it very clear to Erdoğan that his relativization of Hamas terror will not be accepted under any circumstances.”
The chairman of the Kurdish community in Germany, Ali Ertan Toprak, also sees it that way. “In the current situation, I would have liked the German side to cancel the visit,” he told the RND. “It cannot be the case that we talk about reasons of state every day in connection with Israel’s security and then roll out the red carpet for one of the biggest anti-Semites here.”
Erdoğan, who recently questioned Israel’s legitimacy, is expected to visit Berlin on Friday. Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) invited him after his re-election as president in May. In addition to Scholz, Erdoğan also meets Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. In view of the differences in the assessment of the Gaza war, Scholz has already announced that he will address them aggressively.
The Berlin police are expecting a large-scale operation during the Turkish president’s visit. There will be “significant restrictions on traffic in the city,” said a spokeswoman. “The Berlin police are experienced in dealing with complex operational situations, including visits by heads of state,” it said. The security precautions are focused on preparing for the upcoming situation.
Erdoğan will meet Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier early on Friday afternoon and then Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD). The exact time of his departure was not yet known.