Turkey

Turkey, officially the Republic of Turkey, is located partially in the continent of Asia and partially in Europe. It shares borders with Greece and Bulgaria to the Northwest, Iran to the east and Iraq to the southeast. It also shares various borders with Syria, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia.

70%-75% of Turkey's population are Turks, and 19% are Kurds, making them the country's largest minority group. The country's capital is Ankara, and the largest city and financial city is Istanbul.

As of November 2021, the President of Turkey is Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who has served in this position since 2014. Prior to that, he served as Prime Minister of the country from 2003-2014.

Since the start of the Syrian civil war in 2011, an estimated 3.6 million Syrian refugees have taken up residence in Turkey, most of them living with temporary residence permits.

Hostage deal mediator: Gaza reconstruction faces uncertainty as roles remain unclear - interview

Bahbah said he is in continued contact with members of the Gaza National Committee, describing them as “eager and motivated,” yet limited by a lack of clarity and resources.

JANUARY 29, 2026|ByAMICHAI STEIN

Dr. Bishara Bahbah.

Al Jazeera to host Iranian FM, Hamas leader, and CCP propagandist at its forum in February

Among the listed speakers is Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal, head of the terrorist group abroad.

JANUARY 29, 2026|ByMATHILDA HELLER

Demonstrators hold pictures of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during a rally in solidarity with Iran's government in Tehran, near the Iranian Consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, January 18, 2026

Turkey arrests six suspected of spying for Iran, targeted NATO-run air base

The six are suspected of conducting reconnaissance around the NATO-run Incirlik air base in the southeastern Turkish province of Adana.

JANUARY 29, 2026|ByREUTERS

Turkish Foreign Affairs Minister Hakan Fidan gestures as he addresses the audience during a press briefing meeting to review the past year and to share insights regarding regional and global developments in Istanbul, on January 15, 2026.

'Give Trump something': Turkey, Oman, Qatar, among countries mediating between US and Iran

The message a number of countries have delivered to Iran, according to one of the sources, is: “Act rationally. Give President Trump something so that war can be avoided.”

JANUARY 28, 2026|ByAMICHAI STEIN

Turkey's foreign minister says Israel still seeking opportunity to attack Iran

"I hope they find a different path, but the reality is that Israel, in particular, is looking for an opportunity to strike Iran," Fidan said in a televised interview on Friday.

JANUARY 23, 2026ByREUTERS, AMICHAI STEIN

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan attends an interview with Reuters, in Brussels, Belgium April 4, 2025.

Including Turkey, Qatar in Gaza’s Board of Peace undermines Hamas demilitarization - opinion

For Ankara and Doha, Gaza is not a humanitarian responsibility – it is a strategic asset.

JANUARY 23, 2026ByYARON BUSKILA

US President Donald Trump speaks, during a charter announcement for his Board of Peace initiative, in Davos, Switzerland, January 22, 2026

Trump's board of folly: Why putting Turkey, Qatar in charge of Gaza is a farce - opinion

To place Ankara and Doha – two of the most vocal enablers of Hamas – in charge of shepherding Gaza toward peace is akin to appointing the tobacco lobby to run the World Health Organization.

JANUARY 23, 2026ByMICHAEL FREUND

US President Donald Trump and Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim ibn Hamad Al Thani attend a world leaders’ summit on ending the Gaza war, in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, late last year.

Can Israel trust Trump's Gaza board on border security?

Can Trump keep his promises? Has Britain abandoned their Jewish community? Watch the weekly news roundup with Jacob Laznik and expert guests.

JANUARY 22, 2026ByJERUSALEM POST PODCASTS

The weekly news roundup with Jacob Laznik, host of The Deep Dive.

Turkey opposes foreign intervention in Iran, Erdogan tells Iran's Pezeshkian

In a statement, the Turkish presidency said the leader had discussed the latest developments in Iran, after the worst domestic unrest since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

JANUARY 22, 2026ByREUTERS, DANIELLE GREYMAN-KENNARD

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan reacts during a press conference at a NATO summit in The Hague, Netherlands June 25, 2025.

Why Israel says joining Trump’s Board of Peace was not optional - analysis

Israeli officials say staying out of Trump’s Board of Peace was never an option, citing influence over decisions, frustration with the UN, and concerns over Gaza and Hamas.

JANUARY 21, 2026ByAMICHAI STEIN

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at a 40 signatures debate, at the plenum hall of the Knesset, the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem, on January 19, 2026.

Turkey deploys advanced radar at Damascus airport, raising Israeli concerns

Turkey deployed an advanced radar system at Damascus International Airport, a move Western sources warn could restrict Israel’s freedom of action in Syrian airspace and heighten regional tensions.

JANUARY 21, 2026ByAMICHAI STEIN

HTRS-100 air traffic control radar system, produced by the Turkish defense company ASELSAN.

Israel's imports of Azerbaijani oil via Turkey jump despite Ankara's trade ban

The figures are the latest example of Israel continuing trade with businesses in countries where governments condemn its reported actions in Gaza.

JANUARY 21, 2026ByREUTERS

Flag of Azerbaijan

Turkey is Trump’s Eisenhower moment: Will he set a precedent in Syria? - opinion

Trump now has the opportunity to set a different precedent – one that distinguishes accommodation from endorsement, and allies who constrain instability from strongmen who monetize it.

JANUARY 21, 2026ByARIEL HARKHAM

Syria's Ahmed al-Sharaa and Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan arrive for a joint press conference at the Presidential Palace in Ankara, Turkey, February 4, 2025

'October 7 moment for Kurds': Israel must assist Syria's Kurds amid attacks, analysts tell 'Post'

Over the last decade, the SDF worked with the US and defeated ISIS in Syria. However, now the SDF is facing major setbacks, and Kurds fear they may be massacred.

JANUARY 21, 2026BySETH J. FRANTZMAN

A Kurdish internal security forces member stands guard with a weapon as Syrian Kurds attend a protest in solidarity with the people in the neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh in Aleppo, in Hasakah, Syria January 7, 2026.