ArmInfo. In another bout of fiery remarks, Turkish President Erdogan, who has refused to condemn Hamas's October 7 attacks, compares Netanyahu to fascist leaders and Israel akin to a war criminal state.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan delivered another antisemitic speech, during which he compared Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to fascist leaders on Saturday.
In the speech, Erdogan compared Netanyahu to historical fascist leaders, stating that "Netanyahu earned his place alongside Hitler, Mussolini, and Stalin."
The Turkish President also refused to condemn Hamas's actions on October 7 and even stood by the terrorist group in his rhetoric. Erdogan accused Israel of acting as "the Nazis of our time while committing humanitarian crimes in Gaza." He refused to call Hamas a terrorist organization: "We cannot be coerced into designating Hamas as a terrorist organization. We communicate with them openly and stand behind them."
Israeli response to Erdogan's fiery rhetoric
In response, Netanyahu said, "Israel observes the laws of war and will not be subject to moral preaching from Erdogan, who supports murderers and rapists of the Hamas terrorist organization, denies the Armenian genocide, massacres Kurds in his own country, and cracks down on regime opponents and journalists."
National Unity Party leader Benny Gantz weighed in on this exchange, criticizing Erdogan for his support of Hamas. "Erdogan standing with Hamas makes him a supporter of crimes against humanity, and comparing the Prime Minister of Israel to dictators is the height of hypocrisy," Gantz stated in a post to X.
"The fact that Erdogan believes that Hamas is not a terrorist organization explains his conduct towards his own citizens. Israel will continue to adhere to international law even in a war against those who have proven to have no humanity."