Erdogan threatens to invade Israel

Turkey’s president has threatened to invade Israel over its continued bombardment of Lebanon.

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan accused Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, of being “blinded by blood and hate” and said there was “no reason” not to attack.

Mr Erdoğan said: “Had Pakistan not been mediating in the war between the US and Iran, we would have shown Israel its place… Just as we entered Libya and Karabakh, we can enter Israel. There is no reason not to do it.”

The speech came after Turkish prosecutors filed indictments against 35 top Israeli officials, including Mr Netanyahu, seeking a total of more than 4,500 years in prison.

They were charged with crimes against humanity, genocide, torture and unlawful deprivation of liberty, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported.

Akın Gürlek, the Turkish justice minister who served as Istanbul’s chief prosecutor when the investigation began, praised the indictment, calling it “historic”.

The move prompted a strong Israeli response, with Mr Netanyahu saying in a social media post that Mr Erdoğan had “massacred his own Kurdish citizens”.

Israel Katz, the Israeli defence minister, who was also named in the Turkish indictments, described the Turkish premier as “a Muslim Brotherhood man”.

He added: “Israel will continue to defend itself with strength and determination – and he had better sit quietly and shut up.”

Itamar Ben Gvir, the Israeli minister for national security, was even less diplomatic. “Erdoğan, do you understand English?” he tweeted in Hebrew, before adding in English: “F— You.”

While relations between Israel and Turkey were once good, with strong trade and travel between the two countries, they deteriorated rapidly during the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Turkey has accused Israel of genocide in Gaza and implemented a trade embargo in May 2024, halting most exports and imports.

The latest spat started last week, after Mr Erdoğan warned Donald Trump of possible “provocations and sabotage” in the wake of the US-Iran ceasefire. He did not name Israel directly, but clearly had the Jewish state in mind.

While Israel was pushing for the fighting with Iran to continue, Mr Erdoğan urged the US president in a phone call that the truce “not be compromised under any circumstances”.

Like Israel, Turkey is pushing to become a pivotal regional power in the Middle East. Its ambitions were boosted after Turkey backed Ahmed al-Sharaa and his forces to topple the Assad regime in Syria last year.

Ankara has also moved closer to Greece, Cyprus and the Gulf states diplomatically, increasing its status and influence in the region.

Unlike other surrounding states, Turkey also poses a formidable military challenge. It has the second-largest standing military force in Nato after the US, and in recent years has mounted successful military operations in Libya and Karabakh, part of Azerbaijan.

Mr Erdoğan is also close to Mr Trump. The two men are often described as having a “bromance”, although the partnership is mostly transactional.

After the latest war of words on Sunday, the Turkish foreign ministry published a formal statement describing Mr Netanyahu as “Hitler of our time”.

The notice, published on the eve of Holocaust Remembrance Day, said: “An arrest warrant has been issued against Netanyahu by the International Criminal Court on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity. Under Netanyahu’s administration, Israel is facing proceedings before the International Court of Justice on charges of genocide.”

The statement went on to speculate that Mr Netanyahu’s objective was “to undermine ongoing peace negotiations [in Iran] and continue his expansionist policies in the region”.

“Failing this, he risks being tried in his own country and is likely to be sentenced to imprisonment,” it added.

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