Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has spent recent years emphasizing Turkey’s historical and religious connection to Jerusalem, and Ankara is backing up the talk with action—deepening its activities in the city through government institutions, cultural programming, and ties to ‘Palestinian’ actors.
3+Erdoğan has declared in the past that “we were forced to leave Jerusalem, but it is ours”—a statement reflecting the central place the city holds in Turkish discourse. The Ottoman Empire ruled Jerusalem for roughly 400 years until the early 20th century, and that legacy continues to serve as a cornerstone of the Turkish president’s rhetoric.
One of the most visible arms of Turkish activity in the city is the Turkish consulate in Jerusalem. After the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, the consulate stated its mourning and condemned what it called Israel’s “heinous crime.”
3+But the ties go beyond political statements. Ahmet Rıza Demirer, a former Turkish consul in Jerusalem, was photographed after leaving his post alongside senior Hamas officials, and later continued in a role at the Turkish Foreign Ministry. In 2023, he was also photographed with officers from the ‘Palestinian’ Authority’s armed apparatus during the inauguration of a gym built for them with help from TİKA, the Turkish government’s official aid agency.
Turkish involvement is also evident in the training of Palestinian security forces. An agreement to train PA personnel in Turkey was signed in 2022, and since then, according to the Turkish interior minister, roughly 2,000 Palestinian police have been trained in the country. Another 143 officers have already completed their studies at Turkey’s police academy.
3+Alongside the political and security activity, the Yunus Emre Turkish Cultural Center operates in Jerusalem—an official Turkish government institution promoting Turkish language and culture. The center offers Turkish language courses and various activities designed to strengthen ties to Turkish heritage and culture in the city.
In recent years, the center has also hosted Jerusalem Mufti Ikrima Sabri, a prominent figure against whom an indictment was filed for incitement to terrorism.
The broader picture also emerges from an investigation by the Jerusalem Institute for Policy Research, which tracks Turkish activity in the city. Ran Yishai, head of the research division at the institute and former director-general of the Ministry of Jerusalem and Heritage, argues that Israel’s response must include strengthening the civilian presence in East Jerusalem.
3+“This is our responsibility. It’s not enough to tell hostile actors to get out if we don’t fill the space ourselves—they’ll come right back in,” Yishai said.
In recent years, Erdoğan has sharpened his rhetoric against Israel, and senior Hamas officials continue to operate from Turkey. At the same time, Ankara is deepening its ties with PA actors and establishing a presence in Jerusalem through official institutions, aid, culture, and training programs. For Israel, the question is no longer just what Erdoğan says about Jerusalem—it’s how deep Turkey’s grip on the city will become.