Jews get Hanukkah greetings from Turkish president

By Enes Kaplan

ANKARA (AA) – Turkey's president on Thursday extended Hanukkah greetings to Jews, saying his government ensures and respects the freedom of all religions.

"In an age in which anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, and xenophobia are spreading like a pandemic, Turkey will continue to be a model for the entire world," Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in his message on the Jewish Festival of Lights.

"I extend my best wishes to Jewish citizens of Turkey and the entire Jewish community around the world on the occasion of Hanukkah, and wish them peace."

Hanukkah is an eight-day holiday marking the rededication of the second Jewish Temple in Jerusalem in the second century B.C.​​​​​​​

*Writing by Ahmet Gencturk