Israel fired back forcefully, declaring Jerusalem forever Jewish while rejecting Erdogan’s dangerous Ottoman fantasy.
A major diplomatic clash erupted after Turkish Interior Minister Mustafa Çiftçi made inflammatory remarks claiming Turkey would one day regain control over Jerusalem.
Speaking at a ruling party convention in Çorum province, Çiftçi compared Jerusalem to Damascus, Aleppo, and Karabakh, saying Turkey would eventually witness what he called the “freedom of Jerusalem.” He also said that while serving as governor of Erzurum, he had prayed to one day serve as governor of Jerusalem, insisting he believed that moment would arrive.
Çiftçi went further, suggesting that lands once ruled by the Ottoman Empire would return to Turkish sovereignty, while praising President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as a global leader.
After a day of silence, Israel’s Foreign Ministry issued a sharp response, declaring that the Ottoman Empire is gone forever and that Jerusalem will remain Israel’s eternal capital.
Defense Minister Israel Katz also strongly rejected the remarks, stating that Jerusalem has been the capital of the Jewish people for 3,000 years and will remain Israel’s capital forever. Katz emphasized that Israel is not a collapsing medieval kingdom, but a strong and determined nation capable of defending itself against every threat.
He added that the Ottoman dream promoted by Çiftçi and Erdogan collapsed long ago and will never return, accusing Turkey’s current leadership of betraying the legacy of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.
The confrontation comes after years of worsening relations between Israel and Turkey following the October 7 Hamas massacre. Erdogan has repeatedly attacked Israel, hosted Hamas figures, defended Palestinian unity against Israel, and criticized leaders who describe Hamas as a terrorist organization.
Israel has increasingly viewed Ankara’s rhetoric as hostile, reckless, and aligned with Hamas propaganda. Katz recently accused Erdogan of hiding behind antisemitic attacks against Israel while failing to confront regional threats with real strength.
The latest Turkish claim over Jerusalem has only deepened the crisis, with Israel making clear that no foreign power, no Ottoman nostalgia, and no Islamist political fantasy will change the reality of Jerusalem as the eternal capital of the Jewish people.A major diplomatic clash erupted after Turkish Interior Minister Mustafa Çiftçi made inflammatory remarks claiming Turkey would one day regain control over Jerusalem.
Speaking at a ruling party convention in Çorum province, Çiftçi compared Jerusalem to Damascus, Aleppo, and Karabakh, saying Turkey would eventually witness what he called the “freedom of Jerusalem.” He also said that while serving as governor of Erzurum, he had prayed to one day serve as governor of Jerusalem, insisting he believed that moment would arrive.
Çiftçi went further, suggesting that lands once ruled by the Ottoman Empire would return to Turkish sovereignty, while praising President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as a global leader.
After a day of silence, Israel’s Foreign Ministry issued a sharp response, declaring that the Ottoman Empire is gone forever and that Jerusalem will remain Israel’s eternal capital.
Defense Minister Israel Katz also strongly rejected the remarks, stating that Jerusalem has been the capital of the Jewish people for 3,000 years and will remain Israel’s capital forever. Katz emphasized that Israel is not a collapsing medieval kingdom, but a strong and determined nation capable of defending itself against every threat.
He added that the Ottoman dream promoted by Çiftçi and Erdogan collapsed long ago and will never return, accusing Turkey’s current leadership of betraying the legacy of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.
The confrontation comes after years of worsening relations between Israel and Turkey following the October 7 Hamas massacre. Erdogan has repeatedly attacked Israel, hosted Hamas figures, defended Palestinian unity against Israel, and criticized leaders who describe Hamas as a terrorist organization.
Israel has increasingly viewed Ankara’s rhetoric as hostile, reckless, and aligned with Hamas propaganda. Katz recently accused Erdogan of hiding behind antisemitic attacks against Israel while failing to confront regional threats with real strength.
The latest Turkish claim over Jerusalem has only deepened the crisis, with Israel making clear that no foreign power, no Ottoman nostalgia, and no Islamist political fantasy will change the reality of Jerusalem as the eternal capital of the Jewish people.
