Report of Israeli Think-Tank on the Global Muslim Brotherhood

including IHH as a member. As early as July 2006, the Islamic Society together with IHH
distributed 2,500 food parcels. The Islamic Society is an important Hamas institution in
the Gaza Strip, headed by a member <strong>of</strong> the UNIW, and is known to be at least partially
financed by the Union <strong>of</strong> Good. In August 2007, FIDDER hosted the Third Congress
<strong>of</strong> the Union <strong>of</strong> Good at the Park Hotel in Istanbul. Remarks in support <strong>of</strong> Palestine
were reported by FIDDER chairman Tahsin Misirli as well as by IHH leader Bulent
Yildirim who was in attendance. In 2009, IHH opened an <strong>of</strong>fice in the West Bank that
transferred tens <strong>of</strong> thousands <strong>of</strong> dollars to two Hamas charities associated with the
Union <strong>of</strong> Good.
PRE-FLOTILLA SUPPORT
The Turkish/MB network also played a key role in the events leading up to the launch
<strong>of</strong> the Gaza Flotilla. On April 2, IHH President Bulent Yildirim held a meeting/press
conference on the launch <strong>of</strong> its flotilla.
The meeting also included MAZLUMDER and TGTV <strong>of</strong>ficials, the Istanbul provincial
heads <strong>of</strong> the Saadet and BPP parties, Western flotilla activists, and representatives
<strong>of</strong> the European Muslim Brotherhood flotilla front group. Around the same time,
the IHH President Bulent Yildirim held another press conference on or around the
Mavi Marmara together with UK Hamas/Muslim Brotherhood operative Mohammad
Sawalha. At the Marmara press conference, Yildirim denied that the AKP was behind
the flotilla and accused Israel <strong>of</strong> killing women and children, saying “We are sailing
to Gaza as human shields.”
Early in May, MAZLUMDER Chairman Ahmet Faruk Ünsal made a statement denying
the legitimacy <strong>of</strong> Israel as a state and asserting that Israel does not adhere to legal or
moral criteria in the use <strong>of</strong> power.
Ten days later, a group <strong>of</strong> UK and French Muslim Brotherhood leaders visited Istanbul
and met with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The delegation included
leaders <strong>of</strong> the Palestinian Return Centre and a closely related European flotilla front
group known as the European Campaign to End the Siege on Gaza (ECESG). The
delegates reportedly urged Turkey to play a more active role in Palestinian issues
and, notably, discussed the blockade <strong>of</strong> Gaza. Prime Minister Erdogan promised that
Turkey would do all that it could to see the inhumane siege on Gaza lifted and would
help the Palestinian people in any other way that it could. In addition, the European
delegation held a lengthy discussion with the leader <strong>of</strong> the Saadet Party and the head
<strong>of</strong> MAZLUMDER.
On May 22, the Marmara and two other ships left Istanbul to rendezvous with the six
other ships comprising the Gaza flotilla. Prior to the departure, speeches were given
by the representatives <strong>of</strong> NGOs from various countries, by members <strong>of</strong> the Free Gaza
movement, and by leaders from IHH, MAZLUMDER, and UNIW. IHH President
Bulent Yildirim made use <strong>of</strong> Nazi analogies in his send<strong>of</strong>f speech, comparing Gaza to
the prison camps set up by Hitler in Europe. MAZLUMDER issued its own statement
to the press at the send<strong>of</strong>f, once again accusing Israel <strong>of</strong> genocide and also asserting
that Gaza was a prison camp resembling Hitler’s. It was also announced at this time
that MAZLUMDER General Chairman Ahmet Faruk Ünsal and other MAZLUMDER
<strong>of</strong>ficials would be joining the campaign. Raed Salah followed directly after Yildirim
and praised Prime Minister Erdogan, saying that all Arab leaders should take Erdogan
as their role model.
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