Live Update
From the Liveblog of
Sunday, December 18, 2022
Erdogan issues Hanukkah greeting to Turkey’s Jewish community
Lazar Berman is The Times of Israel's diplomatic reporter

Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdogan gestures as he speaks during a press conference on the sidelines of the G20 Leaders' Summit at Nusa Dua in Bali, Indonesia on November 16, 2022. (AP Photo/Firdia Lisnawati)
Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan issues a congratulatory message ahead of Hanukkah, calling the country’s Jewish citizens “an inseparable part of our society.”
“While antisemitism, Islamophobia and xenophobia threaten social peace today in many countries, as well as global peace, the unity and solidarity all our citizens display in our country with mutual respect, love and understanding — without any discrimination — sets an exceptional example to the entire world,” he says, adding that he hopes the holiday brings “wellbeing” to all Jews.
Hanukkah begins tonight at sundown.