• Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan hinted at possible intervention in Israel, drawing parallels to Turkey’s past military actions in Libya and Nagorno-Karabakh.
• Erdogan’s remarks have escalated tensions, with Israel yet to respond officially.
President Tayyip Erdogan suggested that Turkey might intervene in Israel as it has in Libya and Nagorno-Karabakh, though he didn’t specify what kind of intervention he was referring to. During a speech in his hometown of Rize, Erdogan, a vocal critic of Israel’s onslaught in Gaza, emphasized Turkey’s need for strength to counter Israel’s genocide against Palestine.
“We must be very strong so that Israel can’t do these ridiculous things to Palestine. Just like we entered Karabakh, just like we entered Libya, we might do similar to them,” Erdogan said at a meeting of his ruling AK Party. “There is no reason why we cannot do this … We must be strong so that we can take these steps,” he added during the televised address.
Erdogan’s comments come amid ongoing tensions between Israel. The exact nature of what he meant by “entering” Israel, whether it be a military intervention or intervening to provide aid for the Palestinians, remains unclear, and AK Party representatives have not provided further details. Israel has not yet responded to Erdogan’s statements.
The president seemed to be drawing parallels to Turkey’s past military actions. In 2020, Turkey sent military personnel to Libya to support the UN-recognized Government of National Accord. Additionally, Turkey has provided significant support to Azerbaijan in its conflict with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh, though it denies direct involvement in military operations there.
Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz reacted strongly to Erdogan’s remarks, comparing him to Saddam Hussein and warning him to remember the consequences of such threats. “Erdogan is following Saddam Hussein’s footsteps and threatens to attack Israel,” Katz wrote on X. “He should remember what happened there and how it ended.”
The situation remains tense as Turkey navigates its erratic relationship with Israel, with Erdogan’s latest comments potentially escalating tensions further.
