Tensions between Turkey and Israel continue to escalate over the Palestinian issue, as the Israeli Foreign Minister on Monday evening called on NATO to expel Turkey from the North Atlantic military alliance.
“In light of Turkish President Erdogan’s threats to invade Israel and his dangerous rhetoric, Foreign Minister Israel Katz instructed diplomats… to urgently engage with all NATO members, calling for the condemnation of Turkey and demanding its expulsion from the regional alliance,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
The latest statement comes on the heels of inflammatory rhetoric at the highest diplomatic level exchanged between the two nations sparked by an overt threat by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday to “intervene” in Israel.
The President of Turkey has been a fierce critic of Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza, saying in a speech on Sunday: “We must be very strong so that Israel can’t do these ridiculous things to Palestine. Just like we entered Karabakh, just like we entered Libya, we might do similar to them.”
Responding directly to the Turkish threats Katz said in the statement, “Erdogan is following in the footsteps of Saddam Hussein and threatening to attack Israel. He should remember what happened there and how it ended.”
In its retort, Turkey’s Foreign Ministry compared Israeli PM Netanyahu to Hitler in a statement: “Just as the genocidal Nazis were held accountable, those who seek to destroy the Palestinians will also be held accountable,” said a statement from the Turkish Foreign Ministry issued on Monday morning.
“Those who try to silence this just voice, especially the international Zionist circles, including Israel, are in a state of great panic,” he wrote.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan made a similar post on X “History has ended in the same way for all genocidal perpetrators and their supporters.” (referring to Netanyahu).
