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Egypt: Erdoğan, Leader of the World

Categories: Middle East & North Africa, Egypt, Israel, Palestine, Turkey, Economics & Business, Freedom of Speech, International Relations, Politics, War & Conflict

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip [1] has new fans across the Arab world, notably in Egypt where one blogger went on to describe him as the “leader of the world.” Another sees fault in Arab leaders who are not standing up for the Palestinian cause.

By storming out [2] of a debate at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, and after the moderator refused to give him extra time to rebut Israeli President Shimon Peres’ explanation of what happened during the Israel-Gaza conflict, Erdoğan is getting the thumbs up from bloggers.

Maher Mahmoud wrote in his blog Kelmety [3]:

لقي رئيس الوزراء التركي رجب طيب أردوغان استقبال الأبطال لدى عودته إلى اسطنبول الليلة الماضية بعدما انسحب من منتدى دافوس إثر مشادة كلامية مع الرئيس الإسرائيلي شيمون بيريز بسبب الهجوم الإسرائيلي على غزة

وقال أردوغان في وقت لاحق إنه لم يغادر جلسة النقاش بسبب خلافاته مع بيريز ولكن لأنه منح وقتا أقل بكثير من بيريز للرد على ماقاله الرئيس الإسرائيلي.
The Turkish Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, was given a heroes’ welcome on arrival in Istanbul, after he withdrew from the World Economic Forum in Davos. This came after his debate with the Israeli President, Shimon Peres, because of the Israeli attack on Gaza.

Erdoğan said later on that he did not leave because of the debate itself, but because he was lesser time than Peres to reply to what the Israeli President has said.

Abu El Maaly Fayek also wrote about the incident in his blog Lokmet Eish [4]:

وقد احتشد الآلاف من الجماهير التركية رافعين لافتات الترحيب بزعيمهم الذى لم يعجبه كلام المجرم بيريز ولمّا أراد التعليق والرد على كلامه لم يعطه الفرصة مدير الجلسة فانسحب .
Thousands of Turks have gathered with banners in their hands welcoming their leader who didn't like what the criminal Peres had said, and when he tried to comment on him, he was not given enough time by the moderator, so he decided to leave the conference.

Zeinab – Bent Masreya – wrote another post here [5] calling him the “leader of the world”:

لا أتحدث عن أوباما.. ليس هو زعيم العالم الذي أقصده، وليس استقباله الأسطوري وفرحة الأمريكان به هي ما تلفت نظري، سوف تكشف الأيام إذا كان أوباما زعيما حقيقيا أم يسقط بآمال المتفائلين للهاوية..
إنما الآن.. هناك زعيم حقيقي، يراه شعب آخر، لمسوا جهوده وعرفوا نظافة يده وسمعوا صوت الحق صادرا منه بقوة وبصراحة.. فاستقبلوه في المطار ملوحين له بأن “أهلا وسهلاً بزعيم العالم”
هكذا استقبل الأتراك رئيس وزرائهم، هكذا أشعر أنا أيضاً.
I am not talking here about Obama. He is not the leader of the world who I mean. And the great way the Americans have welcomed him is not what I am talking about here. Time will soon tell us whether Obama is a real leader, or if he will sink with the optimists’ hopes to hell.
But now, there is real leader, a leader who has been received by his people at the airport with the slogan “Welcome, the Leader of the World,” after they have seen his honesty and heard the voice of truth coming out of his mouth.
This is how the Turkish people have received their Prime Minister, and this is how I feel too.

And finally Ahmed Abdel Moneam wrote in his blog Tasrehat [6]:

لا تنتظروا النصرة من داخل ارض العرب … هذا ما يؤكدة الواقع يوم بعد يوم و لا اعلم لماذا كل المواقف الرجولية المؤيدة للقضية الفلسطنية من خارج الحدود العربية و كأن جميع الحكام العرب “ علية العوض ومنة العوض فيهم” فمع بداية تفجر الوضع في غزة اعلن شافيز طرد السفير الاسرائيلي و مقاطعة اسرائيل

ثم تكتمل اليوم ببعض الاخبار و المواقف التي تؤكد اعلان شهادة وفاة الجالسين علي مقاعد قيادة الوطن العربي فهذة اسبانيا و القضاء الاسباني الذى يلاحق القادة الاسرائلين في جرائم الحرب التي ترتكب في غزة “ بغض النظر عن ما يقال حول تعديل القانون بحيث ان لا تحاكم هؤلا و لكن علي الاقل هناك هيئة في الدولة تحتكم الي الضمير الانسانى “ من جانب اخر نرى ذلك الرجل الذى يستحق كل تحية و احترام و تقدير انة رجب طيب اردغان
Don't wait for support from the Arab world. This is what has been proven day after day. I do not know why all the courageous stances supporting the Palestinians are coming from outside the Arab borders, as if all the Arab leaders are useless. At the beginning of the conflict in Gaza, Chavez decided to expel the Israeli ambassador and boycott Israel.

And today the Spanish judicial system decided to chase after the Israeli leaders and punish them for their crimes in Gaza, which emphasizes the political death of the Arab leaders. Regardless of what is being said that the Spanish law may be changed in order not to try the Israelis, yet there is an organization out there that tries to listen to the human conscience. And on the other hand, we see this man who deserves praise and respect. He is Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Also on Global Voices Online:
Turkey: Prime Minister Storms out of Davos Hearing [7]