Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar said he was 'sickened' by Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan's remarks that Israel has become 'a burden humanity can no longer bear,' and renewed his accusation of incitement to genocide. Sa'ar called on Turkey's NATO allies to condemn the remarks. The statement comes amid mounting frustration in Israel over US President Trump's continued portrayal of Turkish President Erdogan as a reliable ally, according to Israel Today.
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar escalated his response to Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan on Friday morning, saying he was 'sickened' by Fidan's remarks that Israel has become 'a burden humanity can no longer bear,' renewing his accusation of incitement to genocide and calling on Turkey's NATO allies to condemn the statements. The new statement, reported by Israel Today, follows a shorter initial reaction by Sa'ar on Thursday evening.
The Zioneer first reported at 21:48 Thursday that Sa'ar had accused Fidan of incitement to genocide after Fidan's CNN interview. An earlier analysis published at 03:43 Friday noted that Israeli officials view Turkey as the next strategic threat after Iran, with implications for force-building and defense policy. The thread shows Sa'ar's response hardening from a general condemnation labeled 'classic language of the worst eliminationist regimes' to a personal expression of disgust and a specific demand for NATO action.
The diplomatic rift between Israel and Turkey has deepened in recent weeks. As The Zioneer reported on June 30, President Erdogan called Israel a 'murderous gang,' and on June 10, Prime Minister Netanyahu labeled Erdogan an 'antisemitic dictator.' The United States, under President Trump, has continued to treat Erdogan as a reliable ally — a source of frustration for Israeli policymakers, according to Israel Today's report.
The White House has not commented on Fidan's remarks or Sa'ar's response. No further details on the Turkish reaction have been reported.
4 developments
- DevelopingTurkey's Fidan accuses Israel of sabotaging Gaza ceasefire, threatening world
- DevelopingFM Sa'ar: Armenian Genocide recognition not retaliation, but truth
- DevelopingAnalysis: Turkish FM Fidan's antisemitic tirade underscores Ankara as Israel's next strategic threat
- DevelopingTurkish FM Fidan: Israel is seeking a new enemy; we have no problem with confrontation
Source and signal
- Internal intake