JNS
Erdoğan again has his eyes set on Jerusalem
by Nadav Shragai
March 1, 2021

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s decision to change the name of the Directorate of Religious Affairs to the “Directorate of Jerusalem and Umrah Affairs” isn’t about semantics but substance. Erdoğan views himself as a successor to the line of Ottoman sultans. He wants to restore the empire of old and sees himself as responsible for Jerusalem from the Islamic perspective…From Erdoğan’s point of view, Jerusalem is “under occupation,” is of utmost importance after Mecca and Medina, and should be part of the “Umrah” (the “regular” Muslim pilgrimage throughout the year, unlike the Hajj). READ MORE