Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday that Turkey is not an enemy state, though he expressed concern that Turkish officials define Israel as an enemy. The statement, reported by a single source, comes amid heightened rhetoric between Jerusalem and Ankara.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday that Turkey is not an enemy state, but he is troubled by Turkish officials' definition of Israel as an enemy, according to a report. The remark appears to clarify his stance after earlier reports indicated he had described Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as an enemy in a security discussion.
As The Zioneer has reported, recent weeks have seen a sharp escalation in rhetoric between Israel and Turkey. Netanyahu's previous characterization of Erdogan as 'an enemy' was reported on Tuesday evening. Separately, President Donald Trump has praised Erdogan as 'great,' and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has said Turkey has no problem with confrontation.
The current statement appears to draw a distinction between Turkey as a state and its leadership. However, the source of the report is a single unverified channel, and further details or official confirmation have not been provided.
- StrongNetanyahu tells CNN: US-Israel disagreements 'between friends', Turkey not friendly
- DevelopingNetanyahu tells CNN Turkey is not a 'friendly country' to the US, hours after Trump praised Erdogan
- DevelopingReport: Netanyahu called Erdogan 'an enemy' in security discussion
- DevelopingTurkish FM Fidan: Israel is seeking a new enemy; we have no problem with confrontation
Source and signal
A single-sourced dispatch is never rated Confirmed or Strong. Its Signal strengthens only when a second, independent source corroborates it.
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