Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu has challenged Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s silence on Trump’s Gaza comments while attacking domestic opposition.
“The President’s only concern today is once again our work,” İmamoğlu stated on Friday.
"My advice to him: show the same consistent toughness he directs at me, someone without political immunity, towards the US President who said 'Gaza will become US territory'."
Trump’s remarks, widely condemned as a justification for the annexation of Gaza, have drawn international criticism. Despite positioning himself as a defender of Palestinian rights, Erdoğan has remained notably silent on Trump’s remarks.
The exchange comes amid a longstanding power struggle between Erdoğan and İmamoğlu, whose 2019 victory in Istanbul was a significant political setback for the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). Since taking office, İmamoğlu has faced multiple legal and administrative hurdles, including criminal cases that could see him banned from politics—widely seen as part of Erdoğan’s broader strategy of using the judiciary to weaken opposition figures.
In his response to Erdoğan’s latest attack, İmamoğlu also pointed out the contradiction in the President’s actions. “For two years, you have claimed to champion Gaza, yet for the past three days, you have remained silent on these statements,” he wrote, directly tagging Erdoğan in his post.
Cumhurbaşkanı’nın tek derdi bugün yine icraatlarımız olmuş. Kendisine tavsiyem; dokunulmazlığı olmayan bana karşı gösterdiği istikrarlı sertliğin benzerini, “Gazze, ABD toprağı olacak.” diyen ABD Başkanı’na da gösterebilmesi. 2 yıldır hamiliğine soyunduğunuz Gazze için, 3 gündür… pic.twitter.com/SounAseDeg
— Ekrem İmamoğlu (@ekrem_imamoglu) February 7, 2025
Erdoğan has frequently criticised opposition-led municipalities, particularly Istanbul, where he started his own political career.
Meanwhile, 79 countries have joined to condemn US sanctions against the International Criminal Court (ICC) over its arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Given Gaza’s central role in Erdoğan’s international and domestic political posturing, Turkey’s absence was significant, as it is not a signatory to the Rome Statute, which established the ICC. Experts link Turkey’s refusal to sign the Rome Statute to its concerns over potential future legal repercussions. By remaining outside the ICC’s jurisdiction, Turkey avoids the risk of being held accountable for its own actions on the international stage, particularly in relation to ongoing issues that could eventually attract international legal attention.
