Erdoğan labels Israel a 'terrorist state'

ANKARA

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has denounced Israel as a "terrorist state" due to its actions in Gaza, accusing it of committing genocide against the Palestinian people.

Erdoğan pointed to Israel's deliberate targeting of hospitals and schools, claiming that the country is engaged in state terrorism.

"I say with a clear conscience that Israel is a terrorist state," Erdoğan stated during his party's group meeting on Nov. 15, warning that if the offensives continue, Israel will be globally condemned as a terrorist state.

Meanwhile, the president defended his stance on militant group Hamas, stating, "Hamas is a party that won elections... We do not hesitate to say that Hamas are resistance fighters who risk their lives so that someone will be uncomfortable."

Expressing dissatisfaction with the international response to the conflict, he criticized the Western nations, especially the U.S., for what he described as an "upside-down perspective" on the situation.

Erdoğan singled out French President Emmanuel Macron for "inconsistent comments."

"He is putting it in reverse gear. Be honest. Don't be like this one day and like that the next. We want you to be in the right way, but never be one way in the evening and another in the morning. Be like Türkiye," Erdoğan said of Macron's statements.

Erdoğan framed the conflict as a "crusader versus crescent issue," stating, "Victory would be for the Palestinian people with God's permission."

The president also accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of being a "non-human who has lost everything in the name of morality and conscience" and directly addressed him questioning whether Israel possesses atomic bombs.

"Do you have an atomic bomb or not? Explain if you dare, but he can't," Erdoğan said. "Israel, you have an atomic bomb, and you threaten with it. Your death is coming. No matter how many nuclear bombs you have, you are a goner no matter what you have."

Describing the events in Gaza as genocide, Erdoğan pledged to take steps and make necessary announcements on the issue.

He emphasized the need to act rather than lament, stating, "This is not the time for wailing. It is time to burn ourselves if necessary for our children. And we will do this by working and getting stronger, not by unaccountable and un-booked heroism."

Erdoğan also committed to increasing diplomatic contacts to end the war, vowing to continue "isolating Israel" while supporting humanitarian efforts.

"We will work to ensure that every one of the so-called settler terrorists who massacre Palestinians is internationally recognized as such," he said.