Israel’s Foreign Ministry fires back at Turkey which criticized Israel’s strikes against Hezbollah in Lebanon: Israel does not need Erdogan’s ridiculous moral sermons.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry fired back at Turkey on Saturday, after its Foreign Ministry criticized Israel’s strikes against Hezbollah terrorist targets in Lebanon.
“We condemn Israel’s airstrikes against Lebanon in violation of the ceasefire agreement. We stand firmly by the people of Lebanon,” the Turkish Foreign Ministry said.
“These attacks have once again exposed Israel’s flagrant disregard for international law and its ongoing threat to the region’s security and stability. The international community must stand united against Israel’s efforts to create a perpetual state of conflict in the region,” it added.
In response, the Israeli Foreign Ministry said in a statement of its own, “While violently suppressing his own citizens and carrying out mass arrests of political opponents, [President Recep Tayyip] Erdogan presumes to preach lofty values to the international community.”
“In Erdogan’s Turkey, there is no justice, no law, and no freedom. Israel does not need Erdogan’s ridiculous moral sermons. Israel acts to defend itself and its citizens against real threats and actual attacks — and it will continue to do so,” it added. (Read about Erdogan and the Kurds here.)
Erdogan has increased his verbal attacks on Israel since the start of the war in Gaza on October 7, 2023. The two countries had been on track to restore strained ties before Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel.
Earlier this month, the Turkish President described Israel as a “terror state” after it launched surprise strikes on terrorist targets in the Gaza Strip.
“The Zionist regime has once again shown that it is a terror state that feeds on the blood, lives and tears of the innocent with its brutal attacks on Gaza last night,” Erdogan said.
The Turkish President has also openly expressed support for Hamas. Last April, he met then-Hamas political bureau leader Ismail Haniyeh in Istanbul, who was later eliminated by Israel in Tehran. Weeks after meeting Haniyeh, Erdogan boasted of the fact that more than 1,000 members of Hamas were being treated in hospitals across Turkey and also took issue with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ reference to Hamas as a terrorist organization.
Erdogan also met with senior Hamas members in Ankara in late January.Weeks after meeting Haniyeh, Erdogan boasted of the fact that more than 1,000 members of Hamas were being treated in hospitals across Turkey and also took issue with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ reference to Hamas as a terrorist organization.
Erdogan also met with senior Hamas members in Ankara in late January.
