DID Press: Following harsh remarks by Israel Katz against Recep Tayyip Erdoğan—in which he described Türkiye as a “paper tiger”—the Foreign Ministry of Turkey issued a statement condemning the comments and pledged to hold Benjamin Netanyahu accountable for what it described as crimes.
Katz recently posted on the social media platform X criticizing Erdoğan, asserting that Türkiye had become a “paper tiger” due to its failure to act against Iranian missiles.
He further accused Erdoğan of “antisemitism” and claimed that the Turkish leader was announcing what he called “show trials” against Israel’s political and military leadership—actions he described as futile.
In his message on X, Katz added: “A member of the Muslim Brotherhood—someone who massacres Kurds—accuses Israel, which defends itself against Hamas, of genocide. Israel will continue to defend itself with strength and determination—but Erdoğan would do better to sit down, remain silent, and keep quiet.”
In response, the Turkish Foreign Ministry declared in an official statement that Netanyahu—whom it described as “the Hitler of our time” due to alleged crimes—is a well-known figure with a clear record. The ministry noted that an arrest warrant has been issued against Netanyahu by the International Criminal Court on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity, and that under his leadership Israel faces genocide accusations before the International Court of Justice.
The statement further asserted that Netanyahu’s objective is to undermine ongoing peace negotiations and continue expansionist policies in the region. Otherwise, it warned, he could face prosecution within Israel itself and potentially imprisonment. Turkish officials described Israeli accusations against their president as baseless, provocative, and inaccurate, attributing them to frustration over positions Türkiye has voiced on international platforms.
The ministry emphasized that Türkiye will continue to stand alongside innocent civilians and intensify efforts to hold Netanyahu accountable for alleged crimes.