Israel’s foreign minister urged NATO to expel Turkey after its president, Tayyip Erdogan, threatened that his country could enter Israel as it had entered Libya and Nagorno-Karabakh in the past.
“In the face of Turkish President Erdogan’s threats to invade Israel and his dangerous rhetoric, Foreign Minister Israel Katz instructed diplomats to urgently engage in dialogue with all NATO members, calling for condemnation of Turkey and demanding its expulsion from the regional alliance,” the ministry said.
Erdogan follows in the footsteps of Saddam Hussein and threatens to attack Israel. Just let him remember what happened there and how it ended.@RTErdogan pic.twitter.com/6GykLtLoh4
— Israel Katz (@Israel_katz) July 28, 2024
Erdogan said in a speech on Sunday: “We must be very strong so that Israel cannot do these ridiculous things to Palestine. Just as we entered Karabakh, just as we entered Libya, we can do something similar.””.
He did not specify what type of intervention he was suggesting.Ankara, which has close ties to Hamas, also maintains diplomatic relations with Israel.
“Erdogan is following in the footsteps of Saddam Hussein and threatening to attack Israel. He should remember what happened and how it ended.”Katz said in the statement.
“Turkey, which hosts the headquarters of Hamas responsible for terrorist attacks against Israel, has become a member of the Iranian axis of evil, along with Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis in Yemen.”he added.
Relations between Israel and Türkiye, once close regional allies, have been deteriorating for more than a decade.
Bilateral trade has weathered many diplomatic storms and reaches billions of dollars a yearBut Turkey said this month that, pending agreements with its business community, it would halt all bilateral trade with Israel until the war is over and aid can flow unhindered to Gaza.
