The Times of Israel
Jan 9 2015
Jews are focus of most hate speech in Turkey, media study finds
Upcoming MEMRI report details growing anti-Semitic language in
Islamist, pro-AKP outlets
By Lazar Berman
ews are the group most targeted by hate speech in the Turkish media,
according to an upcoming report by a US-based watchdog, which found a
rise in anti-Semitic language published in Turkey.
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The study, by the Middle East Media Research Institute’s Turkish Media
Project, found that such attacks are becoming more common, especially
in Islamist media outlets.
Pro-AKP daily Yeni Akit is leading purveyor of hate speech, followed
by another Islamist paper, Milli Gazett, MEMRI said.
The report, obtained by The Times of Israel ahead of its upcoming
release to the public, is based on a study by the Turkish coexistence
NGO Hrant Dink Foundation, which looked at hate speech in the
country’s media.
It found a rise in hate speech against Jews, especially in opinion
columns, with more than half of the instances ‘ 130 out of 246 ‘
targeting Jews. Armenians and Christians were also victims of attacks
in the media, with 60 attacks and 25 instances respectively.
MEMRI’s Director of Turkish Studies, Rachel Sharon-Krespin, told The
Times of Israel that hate speech constitutes `generalizations,
prejudice and animosity against, and targeting and threatening a group
of people or person, due to ethnicity, religion, race or gender.’
`And examples of anti-Semitism can be found almost daily in Turkish
media,’ she added.
Hate speech against the Jews is found mostly in the Islamist, pro-AKP
organs, though Jews, Kurds, Armenians, and Greeks are targeted in
nationalist outlets as well.
`A magnificent speech’
`The most rabid and savage enemies of Islam on Earth are the Jews¦,’
said Imam Mehmet Sait Yaz during a July 2014 sermon in Diyarbakir,
broadcast by OdaTV and cited by MEMRI. `The Jews and the Christians
will never accept you unless you submit to their religion. These Jews
spoil all the agreements on Earth and have murdered 17 of their own
prophets ¦ And I declare here: All Jews who have taken up arms to
murder Muslims must be killed, and Israel must be wiped off the map!
And it will be wiped out with Allah’s help!’
AKP lawmaker Cuma Icten called it a `magnificent speech’ and posted it
on his Facebook page.
Wild conspiracy theories about Jews and Israel also found their way
into pro-AKP newspapers.
On September 15, 2014, M. Necati Ozfatura wrote in his Turkiye column
that the Mossad trained ISIS leader Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi from the time
he was 11, `then integrated him among the Palestinians, sent him to
Baghdad for studying, and gave him the identity of a dead Arab¦Jewish
capital is behind ISIS. Global Jewish capital is providing the arms
and all the needs of ISIS. Its training is being provided in camps in
Israel. The tactics and strategies employed by ISIS are from the
Mossad and from Israeli military officers. Unfortunately, some
ignorant and unaware Muslims are following this person [Al-Baghdadi]
who is of Jewish origin.’
Ozfatura followed this up in November by asserting that Jews who
pretend to be Christians and Muslims are Israel’s greatest power.
`These [secret Jews] insidiously grab key positions in the finance,
media and governments of the countries in which they live, and steer
and rule these countries so as to serve the goal of Zionism’s global
rule,’ Ozfatura wrote.
`At this time, in America, the converted Jewish clergymen are secretly
running some of the Christian churches and are directing the
unknowing, naïve Christian masses toward this goal,’ he added.
Members of Turkey’s Jewish community pray at Neve Shalom Synagogue in
Istanbul on October 11, 2004, during a ceremony to mark the official
reopening of the synagogue (photo credit: AP/Murad Sezer)
Other wild stories about Jews abounded in Turkey.
In November, more than 6,000 olive trees were cut down in western
Turkey to make way for a new power plant. Islamists circulated flyers
that said Israel was planting olives trees around the world in order
to protect themselves on Judgment Day, because the olive tree will not
tell Muslims that a Jew is hiding behind them.
`Yesterday, Israel tried to prevent the cutting of olive trees in
Soma, by stopping the building of the plant. They even managed to get
the High Administrative Court to rule for a stay. But our government
carried out the felling of the trees, despite the court’s ruling `
and, by doing so, spoiled Israel’s plans,’ a flyer read, according to
the MEMRI report. `It is planned that all the olive trees in Turkey
will be cut down within the next three years. This is a very great
blow to Israel.
`But it is not enough just to cut down all these trees. Our people
must also do their duty; they must stop their consumption of olives,
and refuse to be part of their plot.’
AKP officials themselves made anti-Jewish statements and decisions as
well. In November, the AKP-appointed governor of Edirne Province,
Dursun Sahin, said that Edirne’s Grand Synagogue would not be used for
prayer, though it was planned to reopened for worship.
`When the winds of war blow inside Al-Aqsa [in Jerusalem], and those
bandits are murdering Muslims, we are restoring their synagogues here
[in Turkey],’ he said. `I am saying this with great hatred in my
heart. This synagogue, the restoration of which is almost complete,
will become only a museum, with no exhibits in it.’
Sahin later apologized for the remarks.
Since the AKP came to power in 2002, the ruling party has transformed
the media in Turkey, intimidated liberal outlets while promoting
Islamist papers.
`Many media organs, once mainstream, were attacked ‘ sometimes
confiscated ‘ by the government, and many were forced to sell to
groups that are sympathizers of the AKP,’ said Sharon-Krespin.
`Through pressure and intimidation of media bosses, many mainstream
journalists lost their jobs due to their criticism of the government,
scores of lawsuits were and are being filed against them by now
president Erdogan.’
`On the other hand the editors and columnists of Islamist media organs
‘ such as Yeni Akit, Yeni Safak, Sabah etc. ‘ are government’s
favorites, enjoy permanent place in Erdogan’s private plane on his
trips and even act as advisers. They are the mouthpiece of the AKP
government and target non-Islamist journalists for any criticism of
the government,’ she said.
But there are voices who defend Turkey’s Jewish communities.
After Sahin’s announcement that the Grand Synagogue would be closed to
prayer, Directorate of Foundations head Adnan Ertem vowed that the
site would serve as a house of worship for Jews, and would be open to
the public.
Some center-left media outlets in the country do raise the warning
about racism and anti-Semitism, `but they are in the minority,’ said
Sharon-Krespin.
A lawmaker from Turkey’s main opposition party CHP, Aykan Erdemir,
called the governor’s remarks `hate speech,’ and said that `if Ã…?ahin
does not resign, to preserve the dignity of his post and Turkey’s
honor, he should be removed immediately.’
He also lamented that `hatred and antisemitism have seized the state.’
In December, 2014, a Jewish writer named Mois Gabay wrote a column
called, `Are Turkish Jews leaving?’ in Salom, the country’s only
Jewish newspaper. In the piece, he warned that statements by
government officials were spreading anti-Semitism to the general
public.
Some writers quoted Gabay’s article and warned that they could be on
their way to a Turkey without Jews, but Islamist paper Yeni Akit
called the prospect `good news.’
http://www.timesofisrael.com/jews-focus-of-most-hate-speech-in-turkey-media-study-finds/