Photo credit: Uri Lenz/FLASH90
A Turkish flag and a poster of Prime Minister Erdogan are displayed in eastern Jerusalem. October 26, 2011.
Turkish national Hassan Sakranan’s attempt to stab an Israeli police officer in Jerusalem on Tuesday was unusual, but not surprising.
Sakranan was shot and killed by police in Jerusalem’s Old City. Sakranan, 34, is an imam from the southern Turkish city of Sanliurfa and was part of the official religious affairs delegation, according to Turkish media reports. According to Turkish reports, Sakranan did not join the delegation’s tour that day because he was feeling unwell.
Terrorist attacks by foreigners in Israel are not common, but the stabbing draws attention to Turkey’s efforts over the past decade to quietly expand its influence in eastern Jerusalem, particularly in the Old City.
This includes a sharp increase in reports of Turkish participation in the unrest on the Temple Mount. These individuals are widely believed to be supported by the Turkish government and institutions. In East Jerusalem, Arabs call this practice “jihadi tourism.”
The Turkish Association undertook a major renovation project, revitalizing a number of houses and mosques in the old city. Additionally, there is a growing number of Turkish-funded accommodation facilities offering free accommodation to Turkish tourists.
The streets of the old city are now decorated with Turkish products, and signs of Turkish aid agencies such as the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) are also prominently displayed. Israeli authorities have accused TIKA of violating Israel’s sovereignty over Jerusalem. As reported by the Israeli Press Agency in May 2023, TIKA says it aims to “strengthen the solidity of the Palestinian people in Jerusalem.”
The agency ceased operations in the city in 2019 after Israeli authorities threatened to revoke the diplomatic status of TIKA’s Jerusalem office chief and others. Foreign Minister Israel Katz at the time accused TIKA of supporting the activities of the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas and seeking to change the status quo on the Temple Mount.
However, as Israel and Turkey restored full diplomatic relations in January 2023, TIKA returned to Jerusalem.
Other Turkish institutions include the Turkish Cultural Heritage Association, also known as Milatna, which has vowed to actively prevent Israel’s “Judaization of Jerusalem.” Milatna provides food packages and financial assistance to poor families, renovates homes, provides educational programs, and works to preserve Islamic heritage.
Another organization is Kutad, an Istanbul-based charity run by Hamas, which has raised concerns about Turkish interests and potential links to other extremist groups. Kutad’s self-described role is to “protect Jerusalem’s Islamic heritage and serve as a cultural bridge between Turkey, Palestine, and Jerusalem.” Hamas does not typically frame its Jerusalem rhetoric with references to the Ottoman Empire, but such references work well for Turkey, the terrorist organization’s host.
Qutad also funds construction projects, mainly housing and mosques, in eastern Jerusalem. By building homes in eastern Jerusalem, Muslims create what is known in Arabic as a “ribat,” according to Qutad. Although it literally means “battle line,” it refers to specific rights to land.
Israeli news outlets also reported that both the Milatna and Qutad governments are supporting Ramadan violence by paying people to stay on the Temple Mount to maintain a 24-hour Muslim presence in the holy site. .
It is unclear whether Mr. Sakranan had contact with any of these Turkish groups before carrying out the attack.
