Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan wants to "lead the Muslim world against Israel" so his country can become a "great power", an analyst has told Daily Express US.
Following Hamas' terror attack in Israel on October 7, the IDF has responded with an unrelenting bombing of Gaza.
And while most Western powers have backed Israel's right to defend itself, anger is growing among other countries in the Middle East.
Lebanon-based terror group Hezbollah's leader has vowed to fight to the death for Hamas in a chest-thumping warning to Israel. In response, Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu has sent a cold-blooded response to Hezbollah war threat.
Simon Waldman, a lecturer in Middle Eastern Studies at King's College London, notes that Erdogan's rhetoric has long-placed Israel as "an aggressor" - and he believes the Turkish leader wants to "lead the Muslim world against Israel".
Erdogan joined the chorus of condemnation directed at Israel this week, saying the country is "completely out of its mind".
It came as Israel has confirmed it struck an ambulance in Gaza after identifying it as "being used by Hamas".
Erdogan added: “I believe that we should stop Israel — which looks as if it’s completely out of its mind and lost it — as soon as possible. We will ensure that those responsible for war crimes in Gaza will face justice."
Waldman, an academic at King's College London, told Daily Express US: "When Erdogan came to power, one thing was consistent – his anti-Israel rhetoric.
"This idea that Israel doesn't necessarily have the right to exist, this idea that Israel is always an aggressor and that Turkey needs to stand up to Israel.
"Not only does he say Turkey needs to stand up to Israel, but it needs to be one of the most vocal critics because Erdogan has always wanted Turkey to be a great power. It's his mission to make sure Turkey is an important regional actor and global player.
"One of the ways of doing this is to try and lead the Muslim world against Israel. Sometimes Turkey tries to act as the mediator in these conflicts, but it has never worked.
"There's no room for Turkey in this, it just doesn't have the financial strength of geographical proximity to do this."
Mr Waldman also highlights that protests have sprouted across Turkey, targeting Western embassies and NATO bases.
Erdogan even told Turkish lawmakers: "Hamas is not a terrorist group, it is a group of liberators who protect their land.
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