'Antisemitic dictator': Netanyahu slams Turkey's Erdogan, vows not to tolerate aggression in Syria

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu launched a sharp attack on Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan after Ankara sought an Interpol Red Notice for Netanyahu and an Israeli official over an alleged attack on activists delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza. Netanyahu's office called Erdogan an ‘antisemitic dictator’ and accused him of massacring Kurds, harboring Hamas members, occupying half of Cyprus, and jailing journalists and politicians who oppose him. Erdogan is described as seeking to extend aggression against Israel into Syria, and Israel vows not to tolerate it. The Israeli response came after Turkey’s justice minister requested an Interpol Red Notice for Netanyahu and Afek Moskovitch, linked to a domestic criminal case involving the interception of the Global Freedom Flotilla, which sought humanitarian aid to Gaza. The case includes charges of genocide, crimes against humanity, torture, and other serious offenses. Turkey categorically rejects the notion that Netanyahu’s administration is untouchable, emphasizing accountability for alleged crimes in Gaza. Meanwhile, tensions between Israel and Turkey escalate over Syria, where Israel conducted airstrikes on a Syrian air base, prompting Turkey’s condemnation. The U.S. also criticized the strikes. Turkey’s growing influence in Syria, where it supports President Ahmed al-Sharaa, has raised concerns in Israel, especially after Sharaa’s forces toppled longtime leader Bashar al-Assad in 2024. The dispute comes ahead of Israel’s October parliamentary election, with Ankara accusing Israel of using rhetoric against Turkey and its actions in Syria as part of a political campaign.