Netanyahu responds to Erdogan. More allegations surface
Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, rebuked accusations from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who labelled Israel a "terrorist state". Netanyahu counterargued that Ankara is responsible for attacking villages on its territory and supporting terrorism. The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs refuted these allegations on Thursday, declaring that Tel Aviv "will not be able to conceal its culpabilities with unfounded defamation."
In a speech delivered on Wednesday, President Erdogan directed his comments at Netanyahu, forecasting that "his end is imminent". Erdogan further proposed that if Israel continues its aggressive actions in the Gaza Strip, it will be deemed a "terrorist state" internationally.
In his comeback, Netanyahu accused the Turkish president of backing terrorism. In an official communique from his office, he expressed: "He labels Israel a terrorist state, but through his actions, he endorses Hamas terrorism. He himself is involved in attacking Turkish villages inside Turkey - We reject his comments." Likely, the Israeli Prime Minister was alluding to the Turkish military's assault on villages populated by Kurdish fighters.
Netanyahu's Counterstatement to Erdogan
Israeli Foreign Minister, Eli Cohen, composing a diatribe on the X website, wrote: "Those who shelter abhorred terrorists and fuel terrorist organizations should not presume to lecture the state of Israel on morality."
Officially, Ankara discredited Netanyahu and Cohen's claims as "groundless". The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs asserted that the Israeli leaders' statements were a reaction to the harsh reality articulated by President Erdogan."
"They will remain incapable of obscuring their offenses with baseless libels," announced The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. "Instigators and perpetrators of crimes against humanity, which have evoked profound condemnation from global public opinion, will eventually be tried," the ministry added further.
