Right-wing politician Geert Wilders, whose Party for Freedom (PVV) received the most votes in the Dutch parliamentary elections in November, called for Turkey to be expelled from NATO over the country's ties with and support for the Hamas terrorist organization.
"Turkey should be expelled from NATO," Wilders wrote in English on X (formerly Twitter) in response to an article in the Washington Examiner on how Turkey serves as a haven for terrorist financing.
Turkey's Islamist President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has been criticized for his continued support for Hamas in the aftermath of the massacre of over 1,200 people in southern Israel on October 7. In November, the Wall Street Journal reported that US officials warned the Turkish government that it may face sanctions for the economic support the Hamas terrorist organization and Russia's war against Ukraine find within the country's borders.
US Treasury undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence Brian Nelson said during meetings with Turkish officials in Ankara in late November that "it would be very bad if any future attack by Hamas was connected to fundraising or facilitation that occurred in Turkey."
Nelson added that the Biden Administration is “committed to [doing] everything we can to cut off all of those things and want to do that in partnership with Turkey, but are prepared to act unilaterally as well.”
In a speech in Istanbul in October, not long after the massacre Erdogan claimed that "Hamas is not a terrorist organization, but you, Israel, are the occupier." He added that he considers Hamas "a liberation and mujahedeen group, trying to protect its land."
Wilders, a supporter of Israel, spoke to Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz last week. He wrote on X, "Just spoke by phone with Israeli Foreign Minister Katzand assured him of my full support for Israel in its existential war against Hamas, Islamic Jihad and other terrorists. Israel deserves more support from Europe instead of cheap criticism on a daily basis."
Wilders is currently attempting to form a government to lead the Netherlands after the PVV won 37 of the 150 seats in parliament in the November 22 elections.