Ahead of the NATO summit hosted by Turkey, Israel has conveyed an expectation to member states that they condemn Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan's characterization of Israelis as 'a burden humanity can no longer bear,' according to a report by Ariel Kahana (Israel Hayom). Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar said the remarks constitute a clear call to genocide.
Ahead of the NATO summit set to begin Tuesday in Istanbul, Israel has formally expressed to alliance member states its expectation that they condemn inflammatory remarks by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. According to Ariel Kahana (Israel Hayom), Fidan described Israelis as 'a burden humanity can no longer bear' — language Israeli officials have equated with genocidal incitement.
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar, speaking from Jerusalem, directly addressed the remarks: 'These people have become a burden that humanity can no longer bear,' quoting Fidan and adding, 'That sentence echoes very similar words we heard about a hundred years ago — speaking of a people as humanity's problem. And what do you do with a burden that can no longer be borne? These words are a clear call to genocide.' Sa'ar emphasized that the Jewish people know well what happens when such words go unanswered.
The request to NATO states comes at a sensitive diplomatic juncture: Turkey, a NATO member, will host the alliance's summit, and Israel — not a member but a key partner — is urging member states not to let Turkey's hosting role mute their response. As The Zioneer reported over the weekend, Sa'ar has previously condemned Fidan's remarks (on Friday) as 'sickening incitement to genocide,' and the diplomatic effort marks a new stage: seeking collective institutional condemnation from the alliance.
The episode unfolds against a broader deterioration in Israel-Turkey relations. Sa'ar led a successful cabinet resolution last week recognizing the Armenian Genocide, widely seen as a retaliatory step targeting Ankara. The NATO request extends the confrontation from the bilateral to the multilateral arena.
2 developments
- DevelopingTurkey's FM says Israelis are 'a burden humanity can no longer bear'
- DevelopingSa'ar condemns Turkish FM Fidan's 'sickening' remarks as incitement to genocide
- StrongGermany condemns Turkish FM Fidan's 'blatantly unfounded' remarks; minister to visit Israel
- DevelopingAnalysis: Turkish FM Fidan's antisemitic tirade underscores Ankara as Israel's next strategic threat
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