Turkish FM: Israel trying to ‘declare Turkey the new enemy’ after Iran

Israel “cannot live without an enemy” and its government is now trying to portray Turkey as one, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Monday, as tensions between the erstwhile allies continued to escalate. The dispute between Ankara and Jerusalem — which has ramped up ever since Hamas’s October 7 attack and the subsequent war in Gaza — entered a new phase over the weekend after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned his US counterpart Donald Trump of “possible provocations and sabotage” that could jeopardize an initial ceasefire arrangement in the US-Israeli war with Iran. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed Saturday that Israel would continue to confront Tehran and its regional allies, and said the campaign was “not over.” “After Iran, Israel cannot live without an enemy,” Fidan said in a televised interview with the state‑run Anadolu news agency. “We see that not only Netanyahu’s administration but also some figures in the opposition — though not all — are seeking to declare Turkey the new enemy,” he said. “This is a new development in Israel… turning into a state strategy,” he added. This is not the first time top Turkish officials have suggested that Israel will come after Turkey. In 2024, Erdogan claimed that Israel would eventually “set its sights” on Turkey if it succeeded in defeating Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Erdogan has been one of the most harshly critical foreign leaders of Israel, accusing Jerusalem of genocide and war crimes, praising ICC arrest warrants against Israeli leaders, and calling on the UN to recommend the use of force against Israel. The longtime Turkish leader has also often expressedsupport for Hamasas defenders of their homeland, including after the terrorist organization’s October 7 massacre, in which it killed some 1,200 people in Israel, mostly civilians, and took 251 hostages. On Sunday, Israeli leaderslashed Erdoganafter prosecutors in Turkey reportedly filed indictments against 35 top officials, including Netanyahu, seeking a total of more than 4,500 years in prison. Netanyahu accused Erdogan of massacring Kurds in his own country, while Defense Minister Israel Katz and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir also responded with posts bashing Erdogan. Turkey’s Foreign Ministry replied to Netanyahu with a statement, calling the Israeli premier “the Hitler of our time.” Turkey recently joined diplomatic efforts with Egypt and Pakistan to reach a ceasefire in the conflict with Iran. In January, Trump included Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in his Board of Peace’s Gaza Executive Board. Following the White House announcement, Netanyahu came under fire from across the Israeli political spectrum for being unable to prevent Turkey from gaining a foothold in Gaza through the new panel. Are you relying on The Times of Israel for accurate and timely coverage of the Iran war right now? If so, please joinThe Times of Israel Community.For as little as $6/month, you will: We’re really pleased that you’ve readXTimes of Israel articlesin the past month. You clearly find our careful reporting of the Iran war valuable, at a time when facts are often distorted and news coverage often lacks context. Your support is essential to continue our work.We want to continue delivering the professional journalism you value, even as the demands on our newsroom have grown dramatically during this ongoing conflict. So today, please consider joining our reader support group,The Times of Israel Community. For as little as $6 a month you'll become our partners while enjoying The Times of IsraelAD-FREE, as well as accessing exclusive content available only to Times of Israel Community members. Thank you,David Horovitz, Founding Editor of The Times of Israel