Israel condemns Erdogan as warrant issued over Gaza flotilla
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan an antisemitic dictator and vowed to counter Ankara’s alleged efforts to destabilise West Asia after Turkey sought an…
Source: Utusan Malaysia · August 22, 2026 at 5:01 AM · AI-assisted report
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ANKARA, 22 AUGUST 2026 —
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan an antisemitic dictator and vowed to counter Ankara’s alleged efforts to destabilise West Asia after Turkey sought an international arrest warrant for Netanyahu over the interception of a Gaza-bound aid flotilla.
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The Israeli statement on Friday accused Erdogan of “mass killing Kurds, supporting Hamas murder and oppressing his own people,” and said Israel would treat any Turkish move to undermine regional stability as a direct threat to its security.
Turkey applied for the warrant on Friday, charging Netanyahu with genocide over the Israeli navy’s interception of the flotilla, according to Israel’s Office of the Prime Minister.
Separately, Syria accused Israel of bombing an abandoned airbase near Aleppo on Tuesday, a facility that has not operated since 2012. Israel has not commented on the allegation.
Ankara has denied maintaining a military presence at the site despite reports of a recent Turkish military delegation visit. A Syrian war monitor said the visit aimed to reactivate the base as part of efforts to expand Turkey’s footprint in northern Syria.
On Thursday, Turkey reiterated its commitment to Syria’s sovereignty and said it rejected any Israeli claims to the contrary.
Israel’s statement in English on Friday framed Erdogan’s actions as an attempt to extend Turkish influence into Syria, warning that “Israel will not tolerate him.”
Related: Recep Tayyip Erdogan · Ankara