Islamist Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Recep Erdogan is planning to visit the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip next week, Turkey’s Today’s Zaman reports. According to Erdogan, Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal invited him to visit. He’s always wanted to go, but in the past, the Untied States largely opposed all forms of international contact with Hamas. In the aftermath of Hamas’ rocket assault on Israel, however, the US has been far more willing to allow politicians to visit Gaza. That’s a sign of America’s weakness in the region, as well as the Obama administration’s anti-Israel tendencies.
Iranian lawmakers are also slated to visit the Gaza Strip with help from the newly-endorsed Egyptian government.
Right now, Iran and Turkey seem to be fighting to see which country can garner the support of the Islamist base. Turkey, thanks to the extremism of Iran, is in the unique position of having US backing and being able to support terrorist groups like Hamas. Overall, the Obama administration’s treatment of Hamas, Egypt, and Turkey has pushed every major Muslim regime further toward Islamism.