Special to WorldTribune.com

ANKARA — Turkey, the biggest NATO supporter of Hamas, has overseen a backlash that threatens its ancient Jewish community as well as tens of thousands of Israeli tourists.

Islamists linked to Turkey’s ruling party have attacked the Israeli consulate in Istanbul in protest of the war in the Gaza Strip. Others have threatened the estimated 15,000 Turkish Jews in the mass media.

“Turkish Jews will pay dearly,” Bulent Yildirim, a prominent Islamist close to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, said.

On July 18, Israel recalled diplomats and their families from Turkey. Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said Turkey refused to protect the Israeli presence and said a formal protest would be submitted.

“Israel protests strongly this violation of diplomatic relations, including the Vienna Convention and others, which have been encouraged by the Turkish authorities during these protests,” Lieberman said. “We attribute the responsibility for the safety of Israeli citizens and embassy staff on the Turkish government.”

Yildirim, director of the Humanitarian Relief Foundation, urged Muslims to attack Jews and Israelis in Turkey. In an interview on the Haber Turk television on July 17, Yildirim, who organized the bloody flotilla to the Gaza Strip in 2011, warned Jewish tourists that they would become targets.

“Jewish tourists — don’t dare come to Turkey,” Yildirim said. “The Zionists are putting the future of the Jews in danger. We can not hold back our youngsters anymore.”

Hours later, the Israeli consulate in Istanbul and embassy in Ankara were attacked by thousands of Muslims. The attackers were said to have included parliamentarians from Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party.

“We do not want an embassy of murderers in Turkey,” Ankara Mayor Melih Gokcek, an Erdogan ally who earlier praised Hitler, said.

Western diplomats agreed that Erdogan and his aides were encouraging violence against Israel and Jews. They said many Jews left Turkey and were exploring relocation in European Union members, particularly Spain.

On July 15, a newspaper linked to Erdogan called on Turkey’s Jewish community to submit a formal apology for the Israel-Hamas war. In a call to Turkey’s chief rabbi, the Yeni Akit daily accused the Jews of stealing from Muslims.

“You have lived comfortably among us for 500 years and gotten rich at our expense,” Yeni said. “Is this your gratitude — killing Muslims? Erdogan, demand that the community leader apologize.”

  Bulent Yildirim, Islamists with ties to Erdogan openly incite violence against Turkey’s Jews, Justice and Development Party, Melih Gokcek, Recep Tayyip Erdogan