Abdullah Bozkurt/Stockholm
In a deeply vitriolic and antisemitic outburst, Necmettin Bilal Erdogan, widely regarded as Turkey’s de facto crown prince and groomed by his father, the president, to inherit the family’s political dynasty, has declared that the Jews are a cursed race and that Israel and the United States are destined to be obliterated from the face of the earth.
In an interview during a rally he led on August 3 to protest the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, Bilal Erdogan described Israel as being driven by what he referred to as a “deviant ideology” and labeled Jews as a race condemned by God. He alleged that Jews see themselves as the world’s masters and, as a result, believe they have the right to claim the lives and properties of others.
He also predicted that the conflict with Hamas in Gaza would lead to the downfall of both Israel and the United States, a view shared by antisemites worldwide.
Erdogan’s remarks were broadcast live by A-Haber TV News, a national network owned by the president’s family, and simultaneously aired on a dozen partner TV networks.
Thanks to his father’s near-absolute rule in Turkey, Bilal Erdogan wields significant influence over government affairs, helping to shape both domestic and foreign policy, particularly catering to the Islamist base of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). He is widely regarded as the leading candidate to succeed his father in the event of death or incapacitation due to illness.
Educated at a religious high school during his youth and later in the United States, Bilal Erdogan is a staunch political Islamist. He maintains close ties with various religious sects and plays a significant role in coordinating outreach efforts with global religious networks, including the Muslim Brotherhood.
During the interview Bilal Erdogan commented on the Jewish faith, saying: “I had the opportunity to understand this from Jewish teachers during my years of studying in America. The Jewish faith is very different. We [Muslims] believe that if you live in this world as a servant worthy of God, you will receive your reward in the afterlife. Jews, however, do not make such a distinction between this world and the hereafter. They already believe they are the masters of this world and think they have the right to claim others’ property and lives. So, how can we stop such a people?”
He added, “Israel is currently driven by a deviant ideology, which is leading to its self-destruction. We believe that Israel has been condemned by God, and we understand why they were condemned—because of actions like these [in Gaza].”
Describing the Israelis as cowards, Erdogan claimed that Jews have already begun fleeing Israel and seeking refuge in the United States.
Erdogan further said the reconstruction of Gaza should be funded by Jewish money. “Why are we discussing Gaza’s reconstruction by appealing to others? Why are we calling for donations and such? Israel should be the one to rebuild Gaza. Do you know why? Jewish money is very valuable to them. If we make Israel rebuild Gaza, they won’t be able to destroy it so easily again.”
Over the past two decades Turkish Islamists have been emboldened under the rule of the AKP, which has governed the country with a weak opposition. This environment has encouraged them to be more vocal with their hateful rhetoric, targeting not only Jews but also other groups, including Muslims who do not adhere to their aggressive political Islamist ideology. The criminal justice system, under the control of the Erdogan government, has failed to address hate speech or hate crimes effectively, thereby granting impunity to those who propagate hatred.
Although Bilal Erdogan holds no official role in his father’s government, he is treated as a senior government figure. He accompanies President Erdogan on high-profile state visits abroad and appears alongside him at events in Turkey.
Through the various foundations he leads, such as the Turkey Youth Foundation (Türkiye Gençlik Vakfı, TÜGVA) and the Foundation for Youth and Education in Turkey (Türkiye Gençlik ve Eğitime Hizmet Vakfı, TÜRGEV), Bilal Erdogan fosters political Islam among Turkish youth, which has occasionally been linked to elements bordering on violent jihadism. These foundations also serve as a pipeline for bringing young and aspiring Islamists into government positions.
The antisemitic remarks made by Erdogan in the wake of Haniyeh’s assassination, which is believed to have been carried out by Israel in Tehran, reflect his deep-seated views on Israel and Jews in general. This mindset is widely disseminated in Turkey through the extensive media influence wielded by Erdogan’s family.
The antisemitic campaign in Turkey has been significantly fueled by the recent Israeli-Hamas conflict, with the Erdogan government openly siding with Hamas, which is designated as a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union.
Erdogan’s hate campaign is further supported by opposition parties and various Islamist, nationalist and neo-nationalist groups that endorse an anti-Israel stance. The pro-Iran Hizbullah group, allied with President Erdogan’s government, even introduced a bill in the Turkish parliament proposing the revocation of Turkish citizenship for dual Turkish-Israeli nationals who go to Israel to serve with the IDF, the confiscation of their assets and their criminal prosecution.
