Turkey’s President Erdogan sees political benefits in blaming the killings on global Islamophobia
NEW ZEALAND’S government, and in particular its prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, have been much praised for their response to the appalling massacre of 50 people on March 15th in two mosques in the city of Christchurch. Ms Ardern has done everything she can to stress that the slain Muslims represented New Zealand—“us”—and the gunman a hateful ideology that has no place in the country.
Mr Erdogan has used the attack to score political points and whip up his conservative base ahead of local elections in late March. At appearances around Turkey, he has repeatedly described the mosque killings as part of a wider conspiracy against Turkey and Islam. In an interview on March 18th, he went so far as to accuse the West of preparing the Christchurch killer’s online manifesto, which included calls to expel Turks from Europe and to kill Mr Erdogan.
Australia—the killer’s homeland—is also incensed. At a recent campaign appearance, Mr Erdogan warned that Australians hostile to Islam would “return in coffins” if they visited Turkey. Australia’s prime minister, Scott Morrison, has demanded that he withdraw the comments, and has said the country is considering its travel advice for Australians visiting Turkey.
Mr Erdogan has also resumed his war of words with Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister, in which the two have accused one another of a litany of human-rights violations. Most recently, Turkey’s president slammed the Israeli leader’s son for referring to Istanbul as Constantinople. “The statements by Netanyahu’s son and the New Zealand terrorist are the same,” Mr Erdogan said. “They are fed by the same source.” An MP from Mr Erdogan’s ruling party picked up the thread.
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