Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan issued a stern warning to Israel, emphasizing the need for Turkey to bolster its power to deter what he described as Israeli aggression against Palestinians. Speaking at a Justice and Development Party (AKP) meeting in Rize on Sunday, Erdogan suggested that Turkey could take military action similar to its interventions in Karabakh and Libya.
“Just as we entered Karabakh and Libya, we can do the same with those [Israel],” Erdogan said, according to the Anadolu Agency. “There is nothing preventing that. We just have to be strong in order to take these steps.”
Erdogan also addressed the absence of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who declined an invitation to speak in the Turkish Parliament. Erdogan demanded an apology from Abbas, saying, “We invited him, but unfortunately Mahmoud Abbas was not able to give us a positive response.” He reiterated that the Turkish Parliament remains “open to everyone who is on the right path.”
Erdogan’s statements sparked a wave of reactions on social media and among Turkish political circles. Many activists and politicians supported Erdogan’s tough stance against Israel, while others criticized the escalating rhetoric.
Israeli Foreign Minister Yisrael Katz responded sharply, likening Erdogan to Saddam Hussein and warning him to remember Hussein’s fate. Katz posted on social media, “Erdogan is following in the footsteps of Saddam Hussein and threatening to attack Israel. Just let him remember what happened there and how it ended.”
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan retorted by comparing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Adolf Hitler. “Just as the Nazis were held accountable, so will those who seek to exterminate the Palestinians,” Fidan stated. He emphasized Erdogan’s role as a “voice of human conscience.”
Turkish analysts have weighed in on Erdogan’s statements, offering a range of perspectives. Turkish journalist Ibrahim Karagül described Israel as “the first threat to Turkey and our geography,” arguing that Israel’s actions in Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria could eventually target Anatolia. He stressed the importance of Erdogan’s call to strengthen Turkey’s position in the region to counter Israeli influence.
Turkish researcher in international relations, Hasan Onal, while often critical of Erdogan’s foreign policy, supported the president’s recent comments as a necessary response to Israeli actions. “We criticize Erdogan internally, but such aggressive statements from Israel cannot go unchallenged,” Onal stated. He pointed out that Turkey’s historical memory of regional conflicts, like those involving Iraq, shapes its current stance towards Israel.
Erdogan’s remarks come amid heightened tensions and violence in the region. Since October 7, Israel has been conducting military operations in Gaza, resulting in over 130,000 Palestinian casualties, according to Palestinian health authorities. The ongoing conflict has drawn widespread international concern and calls for restraint from various global leaders as well as charges of war crimes and violation of international law by the International Criminal Court (ICC) and World Court.
