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.

Turkey's main opposition leader Ozel announces intentions to resign, form new party

The Republican People's Party, known by its Turkish-language acronym CHP, was founded by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, and is the main opposition to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

JULY 21, 2026|ByREUTERS, JERUSALEM POST STAFF

Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Ozgur Ozel, with a poster of modern Turkey's founder Ataturk in the background, speaks during a rally in Istanbul, Turkey, May 18, 2024.

Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei speaks during an interview, amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Tehran, Iran, April 5, 2026.

Iran's Baghaei warns Bulgaria against aiding US during operations, hosting American aircraft

The Bulgarian government has said it will seek parliamentary approval to station up to eight US tanker aircraft at an air base in the Balkan country, which is a member of NATO and the European Union.

JULY 21, 2026|ByTZVI JASPER, REUTERS

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hopes to revive the Ottoman Empire and his fundamental views are largely overlooked in the West. Here seen at a ceremony welcoming Pope Leo XIV to Ankara on November 27, 2025.

Turkey’s new role: How Erdogan is supporting Hamas, challenging Israel - opinion

The Turkey that once welcomed Israeli tourists with warmth has been fundamentally transformed. Under Erdogan, successive governments have strengthened the country’s Sunni Islamic identity...

JULY 20, 2026|ByYARON BUSKILA

IDF soldiers operate in southern Lebanon, published July 15, 2026.

The IDF is not enough: Israel needs an expeditionary force to fight beyond its borders - opinion

Israel has gradually adopted the logic of a fortress: defend the center, harden the perimeter, and intercept whatever penetrates it. But a fortress cedes the initiative to the besieger.

JULY 19, 2026|ByARIEL HARKHAM

IDF, Shin Bet expose Turkey-based Hamas terrorists carrying out 'military action' against Israel

All five have been overseeing recruitment for individuals willing to carry out terror attacks and smuggling weapons and funds into the region.

JUNE 21, 2026ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF

IDF and Shin Bet expose Salam Yaish, Walid Abu Nasser, Majed Ja'aba, Muhammad Mallah, and Ayman Sharawna as Turkey-based Hamas terrorists, June 21, 2026.

Turkey, US, Egypt, Saudi Arabia hold Cairo talks on Iran, Libya, Gaza - analysis

The Cairo meeting illustrates how the US is engaging with various Muslim countries in the region.

JUNE 21, 2026BySETH J. FRANTZMAN

Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan speaks to the reporters at Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Antalya, Turkey, April 19, 2026

Greece returns over 1,000 coins to Turkey in joint effort against antiquities smuggling

The two ministers held several talks regarding future cooperation between the two countries in the field of culture and the fight against antiquities trafficking.

JUNE 20, 2026ByMIRIAM SELA-EITAM

Greek Culture Minister Lina Mendoni and Turkish Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy sign agreement at first Turkey-Greece Culture Forum, ,June 19, 2026.

Middle East reroutes its energy networks as region navigates shifting sands - analysis

Investments in new pipelines and energy products will be a key feature in the new regional order.

JUNE 18, 2026BySETH J. FRANTZMAN

Gas flares burn at the Rumaila oil field during an armed patrol by Iraqi Energy Police in Basra, Iraq, June 8, 2026.

Hezbollah MP claims delegations to Turkey promised to ‘support the resistance’ in Lebanon

Hezbollah sources claim Turkey maintains engagement with the group and supports its continued presence in Lebanon, raising questions over Ankara’s regional posture.

JUNE 17, 2026ByDANIELLE GREYMAN-KENNARD

Hezbollah Member of Parliament Ali Fayyad stands in Burj al-Muluk, near the southern Lebanese village of Kfar Kila, where Israeli forces remained on the ground after a deadline for their withdrawal passed as residents sought to return to homes in the border area

Syrian Petroleum Company signs new gas deal with US energy companies ConocoPhillips and Novaterra

The state media report added that the agreement was signed at the Ministry of Energy headquarters in Damascus.

JUNE 16, 2026BySETH J. FRANTZMAN

Conoco gas plant after it came under the control of the Syrian government following the withdrawal of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), in the countryside of Deir al-Zor, Syria, January 19, 2026.

Liberman: Netanyahu's submission, US-Iran deal will allow Tehran to evolve into a nuclear power

Liberman also called for regime change efforts, establishing a new IDF missile corps, argued the Mossad should focus on toppling Iran's regime, and advocated a tougher stance toward Hezbollah.

JUNE 16, 2026By103FM

Yisrael Beytenu leader MK Avigdor Liberman speaks at the Knesset, June 15, 2026.

Erdogan’s road through Syria runs into the Druze - opinion

Erdogan is positioning Turkey to turn post-Assad Syria into a strategic corridor of influence, and Israel would be negligent to wait until that corridor becomes a military fact.

JUNE 15, 2026ByARIEL HARKHAM

Druze have been serving in the IDF since the state was born.

'A new dawn': Middle East, Gulf states react to US-Iran deal

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun praised Lebanon's inclusion in the agreement, noting that the people of Lebanon look forward to a "definitive end to the cycle of violence."

JUNE 15, 2026ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF, REUTERS

A billboard with a graphic design about the Strait of Hormuz on a building in Tehran, Iran, May 6, 2026.

Turkish Global Sumud Flotilla activists announce new Gaza mission

Organizer Behesti Ismail Songur said preparations are underway for a larger flotilla with broader international participation in the coming months.

JUNE 15, 2026ByYOAV ETIEL

Activists from the Global Sumud Flotilla, aiming to reach Gaza and break Israel’s naval blockade, gather at a port before their departure in the southern Turkish resort of Marmaris, Turkey, May 14, 2026.