In a new development reflecting escalating tensions between Turkey and Israel, statements by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan have provoked sharp reactions from the Israeli side.
During a meeting of the ruling Justice and Development Party in Rize, Erdogan stated, “We must be very strong so that Israel cannot do these silly things to Palestine. Just as we entered Nagorno-Karabakh and Libya, we might do something similar (with them).” He added, “There is nothing preventing us from doing this… we must be strong so that we can take these steps.”
These statements were met with a swift response from Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz, who tweeted on the “X” platform: “Erdogan is following in the footsteps of Saddam Hussein and threatening to attack Israel,” adding, “Just let him remember what happened there and how it ended.” Katz attached his tweet with a composite image of Erdogan and former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.
This escalation comes in the context of Turkey’s strong opposition to the Israeli attack on Gaza. Erdogan referred in his speech to previous Turkish interventions in Libya and Nagorno-Karabakh, raising questions about the nature of intervention Turkey might be considering towards Israel.
It’s worth noting that Turkey had sent military forces to Libya in 2020 to support the Government of National Accord, and has also provided support to Azerbaijan in its conflict with Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh region.
This development highlights the complexity of diplomatic relations in the region and may lead to further tension between Turkey and Israel in the coming days.