Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has long been a vocal defender of the Palestinian cause, condemning Israel for its actions towards Palestinians, and once notably berating the late former Israeli President Shimon Peres on stage at the World Economic Forum.
His vocal support for Palestine reflects how important the Palestinian cause is to many Turkish citizens. Back in 2010, for instance, a boat called the Mavi Marmara – part of a flotilla seeking to deliver aid to the besieged Gaza Strip – was stopped and raided by Israeli forces.
