Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has again criticized Israel, accusing its government of prolonging instability across the Middle East during a joint news conference with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, according to a July 4, 2026, report by The Times of Israel.
Erdogan alleged that Israel was tying “its political survival to the continuation of conflicts in the region” and said it was “not leaving Lebanon and Syria alone in particular.” Referring to the war in Gaza, he claimed Israeli forces were carrying out “unlawful and inhumane attacks” and warned that “the war-addicted current Israeli government must not be given the opportunity to once again drown our geography in the smell of gunpowder and blood.”
Turkey has repeatedly condemned Israel’s military operations in Gaza, with senior officials intensifying their rhetoric in recent months. Media reports also recalled that during an end-of-Ramadan prayer in March 2025, Erdogan prayed, “May Allah, for the sake of His name… destroy and devastate Zionist Israel.”
Israel has rejected Erdogan’s remarks. Earlier this week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged the Turkish leader to “calm down” during an interview with Channel 14. The latest exchange underscores deepening diplomatic tensions between Ankara and Jerusalem over Gaza and wider regional issues.
