In remarks published on social media, Çiftçi compared Jerusalem to Damascus, Aleppo and Nagorno-Karabakh, claiming that Turkey had witnessed their “liberation” and would eventually see the same happen in Jerusalem.

The Turkish minister said he had repeatedly prayed to Allah to grant him authority over Jerusalem, “even for one day,” while serving as a governor. His comments were met with extended applause from the audience.

Çiftçi’s rhetoric reflects the increasingly aggressive neo-Ottoman ambitions promoted by senior Turkish officials, who continue to portray Jerusalem as territory that should once again fall under Ankara’s control.