Buying Influence with Lira: Erdogan’s "Soft Power" Offensive

By Ran Ichay

For years, President Erdogan has orchestrated a quiet, calculated campaign in East Jerusalem through what is known as "Soft Power." Utilizing a sophisticated network of NGOs—most notably the government aid agency TIKA—Ankara is flooding the city with capital. TIKA is no mere charity; it operates under the direct auspices of the Turkish Presidency, with its leadership personally appointed by Erdogan. On the surface, these projects appear to be benign humanitarian aid in health, education, and housing. In reality, they are a strategic tool used to build a shadow administration and cultivate loyalty to the Muslim Brotherhood’s agenda.

Turkish funding is being weaponized in the struggle for municipal control. From financing dormitories for Al-Quds University students to refurbishing the Al-Aqsa Mosque with thousands of new tiles, these initiatives are designed to win "hearts and minds" while displacing Israeli institutions. By providing services that should fall under the state's purview, Ankara creates a reality where local residents look to Turkey, rather than Jerusalem's actual government, as their true benefactor.

The ideology driving this cash flow is anything but peaceful. It is telling that TIKA’s current head has publicly shared maps of Palestine "from the river to the sea." Though Israeli pressure and legal scrutiny over unauthorized construction forced Turkish officials to scale back their physical presence in 2019, they have successfully pivoted, rerouting their influence through Ramallah-based proxies. Israel must recognize that allowing a hostile foreign power to construct a parallel governance structure within its capital is a recipe for long-term instability. Protecting sovereignty requires not just security, but the rigorous monitoring of these financial pipelines.