Republican floats kicking ally out of NATO

Senator Rick Scott, a Florida Republican, has called for NATO to “seriously consider” Turkey’s membership after the country’s president said that Hamas was not a terrorist organization.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also called on Wednesday for an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Gaza.

While speaking to lawmakers from his ruling AK Party, Erdogan said: “Hamas is not a terrorist organization, it is a liberation group, mujahideen waging a battle to protect its lands and people.” He said Muslim countries need to work together for lasting peace in the Middle East.

Erdogan’s remarks come weeks after Hamas led the deadliest Palestinian militant attack on Israel in history on October 7. Israel subsequently launched its heaviest-ever airstrikes on Gaza. Over 1,400 people in Israel have been killed as of Wednesday, according to Israeli officials, the Associated Press reported. According to officials in Gaza, 6,546 Palestinians have died, the AP said.

In response to Erdogan’s recent statement, Scott suggested contemplating kicking Turkey out of NATO.

“Hamas murders innocent babies, burns families alive & is holding Americans hostage,” he said on Wednesday in a post on X, formerly Twitter. “Erdogan has again shown that his interests don’t align with those of the U.S. We need to seriously consider Turkey’s membership in NATO if it’s willing to side with Iran-backed terrorists.”

Newsweek has reached out to Scott’s office via email for comment.

Hamas murders innocent babies, burns families alive & is holding Americans hostage. Erdogan has again shown that his interests don’t align with those of the U.S.

We need to seriously consider Turkey’s membership in NATO if it’s willing to side with Iran-backed terrorists. https://t.co/tXiNfa8Ntm

— Rick Scott (@SenRickScott) October 25, 2023

Turkey is a long-standing member of NATO, having been in the organization for over 70 years. Its departure from NATO would have to be the result of a voluntary withdrawal, rather than other members expelling it. There is no provision in the North Atlantic Treaty that foresees the expulsion of a member or the suspension of membership rights, according to Just Security, an online forum that analyzes foreign policy based at the Reiss Center of Law and Security at New York University School of Law.

Scott has been a vocal critic of Hamas and supporter of Israel. Scott’s office has been working with the Lee County Sheriff’s Office in Florida to provide boxes full of supplies, including first aid kits, masks, glasses, scissors, and disinfectant spray, to Israelis in need.

Meanwhile, the secretary-general of the United Nations, António Guterres, said that not enough humanitarian aid is being transported into Gaza. “Thankfully, some humanitarian relief is finally getting into Gaza. But it is a drop of aid in an ocean of need,” he said on X on Wednesday. “The people of Gaza need continuous aid delivery at a level that corresponds to the enormous needs. It must be delivered without restrictions.”

A U.N. spokesperson told Newsweek via phone on Wednesday that 62 aid trucks have entered Gaza so far. However, the spokesperson said that approximately 100 trucks a day would be needed to provide essential support to Gaza.