Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday that Israel's attacks on Syria and Lebanon have escalated to a point where they also threaten Turkey, adding that Israel's aggression poses a threat to the entire world and must be halted. Speaking to lawmakers from his ruling AK Party in parliament, Erdogan emphasized that Ankara's security is tied to the stability of Syria and Lebanon.
Erdogan's Warning
Erdogan stated that the attacks by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his network of murder on Lebanon and Syria have brought the issue to a point where it also threatens Turkey. He accused Israel of leading a sneaky effort to destabilize African countries and the Mediterranean by igniting discord on the ethnically split island of Cyprus. Erdogan warned that if the rights of Turkey and Turkish Cypriots are violated in the Eastern Mediterranean, the response will be very clear and very strong.
Call for International Action
Erdogan urged world powers to take a clearer stance against Israel, saying it is emboldened by the silence of the international community. He called pulling Israel back within the bounds of the rule of law a shared duty for all of humanity. Turkey, a NATO member, has been one of the fiercest critics of Israel's assaults on Iran, Gaza, and Lebanon, halting all trade with Israel and seeking measures against it at international courts.
Netanyahu's Response
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hit back at Erdogan's criticism, calling him an antisemitic dictator and rejecting his remarks on Israeli aggression. In a statement on X, Netanyahu accused Erdogan of carrying out genocide against the Kurds, supporting Hamas, oppressing his own people, and imprisoning political opponents. He defended Israel's military operations, saying the Israel Defence Forces will continue to act with strength against Iran and its proxies, which threaten the Middle East and the entire world.
