Erdogan likens Netanyahu to Hitler, urges global action
The President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, sharply criticized the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, comparing him to Adolf Hitler. Erdogan stated that the Israeli Prime Minister and his "murderous network" will be stopped, like how the actions of the Nazis were halted during World War II.
12:13 PM EDT, October 7, 2024
On Monday, marking the first anniversary of Hamas's assault on Israel, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused Israel of committing genocide in the Gaza Strip, calling for a decisive international response.
"In Gaza, Palestine, Lebanon, not only are women, children, and innocent civilians dying, but humanity and the international system are also suffering," said Erdogan.
"Stop Israel"
The Turkish leader stated that "just as the common alliance of humanity stopped Hitler, Netanyahu and his murderous network will be stopped in the same way."
"Today is October 6... Exactly 365 days ago, 50,000 of our brothers and sisters, mostly children and women, were brutally murdered. Hospitals, places of worship of various faiths, and schools in Gaza no longer stand. Many journalists, representatives of non-governmental organizations, and ambassadors of peace are no longer among us," reads Erdogan's post on the X platform.
Ongoing tensions between Turkey and Israel
Tensions between Israel and Turkey are not new, and the situation has escalated since the latest Israeli-Palestinian conflicts. President Erdogan has repeatedly criticized Israel's policies towards Palestinians, accusing Netanyahu of conducting actions aimed at destroying the Palestinian nation.
This time, however, the Turkish leader went a step further, comparing the Israeli Prime Minister to one of the greatest criminals in history.
Erdogan also called on the international community to take action against Israel, emphasizing that Turkey does not intend to back down from its criticism, even if it involves serious consequences.
"Turkey will oppose the Israeli government regardless of the costs," Erdogan declared, encouraging world leaders to take a stance he considered "honorable."
The Hamas attack on Israel on October 6, 2023, triggered the largest Middle East conflict in decades. On that day, the Palestinian organization ruling in the Gaza Strip launched a surprise rocket attack on Israeli territory. This incident led to brutal clashes, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of people on both sides of the conflict and plunging the region into chaos.