Turkey is again comparing Netanyahu to Hitler while threatening more than a trade ban for the first time.
A war of words broke out between Israel and Turkey after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan threatened that his country could intervene militarily in Israel’s war in Gaza.
Turkish and Israeli officials hurled barbs at each other on Sunday and Monday after Erdogan said in a speech on Sunday that there was “no reason” why Turkey could not act, noting past military interventions in other countries.
While crude rhetoric between the two countries has been regular during the war in Gaza, the threats and insults are emerging as fears of a wider escalation rise again.
Shortly after Erdogan’s speech, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said in a post on X that the Turkish president was “following in the footsteps” of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein by threatening to attack Israel.
“Let him just remember what happened there and how it ended,” he wrote in reference to the infamous capture of the Iraqi president by US forces in 2003 while hiding in a hole in the ground near a farmhouse in Tikrit. Hussein was later executed.
In retaliation, Turkey – not for the first time – compared Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Adolf Hitler.
“Just as the genocidal Hitler ended, the genocidal Netanyahu will also end,” the Turkish Foreign Ministry said.
“Just as the genocidal Nazis were held accountable, so will those who attempt to destroy the Palestinians,” the post continued. “Humanity will support the Palestinians. You will not be able to destroy the Palestinians.”
‘Conscience of humanity’
Erdogan, who has consistently delivered strong rhetoric during Israel’s 10-month war in Gaza, suggested Turkey could intervene militarily in a speech to his ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party on Sunday.
“We need to be very strong so that Israel cannot do these ridiculous things to Palestine. Just like we entered Karabakh, just like we entered Libya, we can do something similar to them,” he said.
Turkey, which supports the Tripoli-based government of Libyan Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, sent soldiers to the fractured North African country in 2020 to support its United Nations-backed administration.
In the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh, which Ankara’s ally Azerbaijan has fought for decades against Armenia, Turkey has denied taking part in any direct military operations.
But he pledged support for Azerbaijan with “all means,” which included military training and modernization, along with the supply of advanced combat drones and other military equipment.
In an X post on Monday, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan boasted that Erdogan “has become the voice of humanity’s conscience.”
“International Zionist circles, especially Israel, who want to suppress this righteous voice, are in great alarm,” he wrote. “The story ended the same way for all genocidaires and their supporters.”
Turkey restricted some exports to Israel in April – six months after the start of the war in Gaza – and said it had suspended trade with Israel entirely in early May.
Israel said it would nullify the country’s free trade agreement with Turkey in retaliation, with Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich signaling that the move is reversible when Erdogan is replaced by a leader who is “sane and not a hater.” of Israel.”
This story originally appeared on Aljazeera.com read the full story
