FILE- A composite photo showing Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (Right) and Israeli Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. AP
The Turkish Foreign Ministry issued a strongly worded statement following remarks by Netanyahu, who accused Erdoğan of "accommodating Iran’s regime and its proxies" and “massacring his own Kurdish citizens” in a post on X.
Later on Saturday, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz also lashed out at Erdogan on X, calling him a “paper tiger, and accusing him of failing to respond to Iranian missile activity while resorting to “antisemitic rhetoric” and “show trials” against Israeli leaders.
In its official response, Ankara slamed the Israeli official saing "Netanyahu, who has been described as the Hitler of our time due to the crimes he has committed, is a well-known figure with a clear track record."
"An arrest warrant has been issued against Netanyahu by the International Criminal Court on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity. Under Netanyahu’s administration, Israel is facing proceedings before the International Court of Justice on charges of genocide," it added in a statement.
According to Ankara, "Netanyahu’s current objective is to undermine ongoing peace negotiations and continue his expansionist policies in the region. Failing this, he risks being tried in his own country and is likely to be sentenced to imprisonment."
Shortly after the United States and Iran agreed to a ceasefire earlier this week, Erdogan warned US President Donald Trump of “possible provocations and sabotage” that could undermine the agreement, without specifying who might threaten the deal.
"The fact that our President has been targeted by Israeli officials with baseless, brazen, and false allegations is a result of the discomfort caused by the truths we have consistently voiced on every platform," the statement added.
The exchange marks a further escalation in tensions between the two countries, already strained by the genocidal Israeli war on Gaza and war on Lebanon.
According to the Anadolu news Agency, the dispute comes after Istanbul prosecutors announced indictments against 35 senior Israeli officials, including Netanyahu, in connection with an armed attack on the “Global Sumud Flotilla” which was attempting to break the Israeli blockade on Gaza.
Israeli forces targeted 42 civilian ships in international waters last October, detaining hundreds of international activists before deporting them.
Turkish prosecutors described the intervention as unlawful, systematic, and lacking legal legitimacy, calling for aggravated life sentences in addition to thousands of years in prison for those accused.
Burhan al-Din Duran, head of the Turkish Presidency’s Communications Directorate, said Netanyahu’s criticism of Erdoğan reflected “a state of desperation,” adding that “everyone knows he lacks the moral values and legitimacy to lecture others.”
Duran further accused Netanyahu of committing genocide in Gaza and destabilizing the region, saying the Israeli leader is “wanted for justice” and “no longer has friends,” while pushing the Middle East toward “chaos and conflict as a strategy for political survival.”
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