ISTANBUL, December 8. /TASS/. Ankara will not recognize the radical Palestinian movement Hamas as a terrorist organization despite pressure from the West to do so, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan reiterated, as quoted by the Anadolu news agency.

"Hamas is labeled as a terrorist organization. However, Hamas is the reality of Palestine, not a terrorist organization. It is a political movement and a political party that has won elections. Nevertheless, we are under pressure to designate Hamas as a terrorist organization. No way. We are not going to label Hamas as such, as we see a political movement that has won the elections," Erdogan told his pool of reporters after coming back from Greece, where he was on an official visit on December 7.

Erdogan accused Israel of state terrorism, and also said that the West and the United States are turning a blind eye to the crimes committed by Tel Aviv in Gaza.