TURQUIE PERSPECTIVE

Turkish media coverage, illustrated by Daily Sabah, adopts a deliberately accusatory approach that fits into Ankara's geopolitical strategy in the Middle East. The emphasis placed on qualifying Smotrich as a "radical far-right minister" and his "controversial positions on Palestinians" reveals a willingness to systematically delegitimize Israeli leaders. This characterization is not neutral: it fits into the Turkish narrative that presents Israel as an expansionist state led by extremists, thereby legitimizing Erdogan's stance of firm opposition.

An alarmist and accusatory tone dominates widely, with a rhetorical escalation that transforms Smotrich's statements into a regional existential threat. The evocation of "destruction similar to Gaza" for Beirut is presented as an imminent promise rather than a political statement, amplifying emotional impact. This dramatization serves Turkish interests by positioning Ankara as the legitimate defender of Muslim populations against "Israeli aggression," reinforcing its regional soft power.

The silences are revealing: no contextualization of Israel's security tensions, no mention of Hezbollah or Hamas attacks, no analysis of Lebanese geopolitical complexities. This deliberate omission simplifies the conflict into a binary oppressor-oppressed opposition, erasing the nuances that could mitigate Israeli criticism. The narrative framing systematically presents Israel as the sole aggressor, Palestinians and Lebanese as passive victims, and implicitly Turkey as legitimate protector.

This coverage reflects Erdogan's strategic calculations: strengthening his leadership in the Muslim world, diverting attention from internal economic difficulties, and consolidating his conservative electoral base through popular anti-Zionism. The systematic demonization of Israel also allows justification for rapprochement with Iran and resistance movements, repositioning Turkey as an essential regional power against the United States-Israel axis. This media instrumentalization of the Gaza conflict serves above all Turkish geopolitical ambitions.