Gercek Khayat (True Life magazine) celebrates the ‘conversion’ of Hagia Sophia Cathedral Museum into a Mosque – calls on Erdogan as ‘Caliph’ to establish Islamic rule beyond Turkish borders.” ... “A case of i.d. theft? First of a Christian Cathedral and, now, the Talmud!”

Paris, 8 August 2020

“After Hagia Sophia Church opened to worship as a mosque, discussion returned to the Caliphate, along a route from Mecca to Al-Quds (Jerusalem) and beyond. The shining landmark along the way is Istanbul, through the shrine of Hagia Sophia... The Philippines, Niger, Indonesia are the Land of the Caliphate, coordinating the world’s Muslims... Muslims are brothers!” claims Gercek Khayat, continuing: “They tried to make Fethullah Gulen the Caliph” [Gulen is Erdogan’s arch-enemy currently protected under asylum in the United States].

Gerçek Hayat magazine: “Now Hagia Sophia and Turkey are free
– If not now, when? If not you, who? Gather up for the Caliphate!”

“Gercek Khayat has a campaign to demand visas for all Israeli visitors to Turkey and make entry visa-free for Palestinians. This is rejected by the tourist industry, as in 2019 there were 63 000 Israeli tourists, opposed to about 2 000 Palestinians,” stated Wiesenthal Centre Director for International Relations, Dr. Shimon Samuels.

Turkish President Erdoğan and First Lady Emine Erdoğan inspect Hagia Sophia Mosque
before its opening for Muslim worship (photo: breakingnewsturkey.com).

Samuels added, “the Hagia Sophia takeover as a mosque was also led by a more worrying Turkish NGO – the IHH (International Humanitarian Relief Foundation).”

IHH spent more than two million dollars to support the Free Gaza Movement – allegedly tied to Hamas – in May 2010, sending a flotilla of ten ships “to break through Israel’s blockade of the Gaza Strip.”

“IHH activists – who owned and operated the Mavi Marmara ship – were set apart in the mission by a willingness to resist Israeli Forces [see 4 June Wall Street Journal article by Marc Champion and Margaret Coker: “Turkish Charity Group Sounds Defiant Note].”

Samuels cited, “A subsequent United Nations report concluded that Israel’s blockade was legal,” noting, “serious questions about the conduct, true nature and objectives of the flotilla organizers, particularly IHH:” [UN Palmer Report, 2011, p.4].

Turkish policy across the Middle East and North Africa has the flavour of Caliphate building... It is, however, weird that it publicly appears under the Jewish banner of Rabbi Hillel’s “Ethics of the Fathers!, 14”:

“If I am not for myself, who will be?
If I am only for myself, what am I?
If not now, when?”

“A case of i.d. theft? First of a Christian Cathedral and, now, the Talmud,” concluded Samuels.