Should Israel take Turkey's invasion threat seriously?

• Published date: 29 July 2024
• Author: Dean Shmuel Elmas
• Publication title: Globes (Rishon LeZion, Israel)

It's no surprise that President Erdogan, Hamas's closest friend, should again attack Israel verbally, but even in Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs there was considerable surprise at what Erdogan said, and last night the ministry took pains to verify that he had really said it

Against the background of the Swords of Iron war, Erdogan has brought relations between Israel and Turkey to new lows practically by the month, halting flights between the two countries and imposing an embargo on trade, but his statement yesterday went way beyond such measures. "Netanyahu, perpetrator of genocide of the Palestinians, will meet the same fate as Hitler," the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement backing the president's threat.

Where does this extraordinary threat come from, and what was its context? How strong is the Turkish military? Should Erdogan's words be taken seriously? And how is Iran, orchestrator of the multi-front battle, involved in Turkey as well?

Where did the threat come from and where was Erdogan speaking?

Yesterday, Erdogan attended an event of his ruling party AKP (Justice and Development Party) in Rize on the Black Sea. It's no coincidence that he said what he had to say in that particular place. His family's roots are in the region, and it's a stronghold of political support for him.

"Erdogan's declaration was influenced by the speech of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the US Congress," says Dr. Hay Eytan...