Erdoğan calls Netanyahu the 'Hitler of our time'
ISTANBUL
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has branded Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as the "Hitler of our time" in response to the ongoing violence in Gaza.
“We are faced not only with an inability to stop the massacre but also with a complete eclipse of reason and conscience, as we witness those who hosted the butcher in their congress, applauding his delusional speech 57 times,” Erdoğan said at an event in Istanbul on July 26.
In his high-profile visit to Washington, Netanyahu addressed the Congress on July 24 as thousands of protesters gathered near the U.S. Capitol to denounce the war, now in its ninth month.
The speech was greeted by a standing ovation and cheers from Republicans, and a more subdued reception from Democrats.
“Those who lecture the world on democracy are not ashamed to crown the Hitler of our time,” Erdoğan said.
“There is no taking responsibility for peace, no effort to increase the hope of humanity. We are witnessing a state of madness where the oppressor is recognized for his cruelty and the rights of the oppressed are ignored.”
His remarks were echoed by other top Turkish officials, including Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş. They condemned Netanyahu's fiery speech at the Congress.
The Israeli prime minister has signaled that a ceasefire deal could be taking shape, but he vowed to press forward with Israel’s war until he achieves “total victory.”
Erdoğan further criticized global institutions for their inaction in conflicts across Gaza, Ukraine and other regions.
"The current global system, established to protect the interests of the winners of World War II, has begun to run its course. Just looking at the crises of the recent past is enough to show that the system has already raised the flag of bankruptcy,” he said.
“The conflict in Syria has been going on for 13 years, the war in Ukraine continues, Sudan is in turmoil before Yemen is stabilized, 40,000 civilians have been cut off in Gaza, and genocide has not been prevented for 10 months.”
In his speech, Erdoğan also emphasized Türkiye's efforts in navigating global challenges.
"We continue our development journey without slowing down," he said, adding that the country "remains committed to its goals" despite facing conflicts, economic challenges and natural disasters.
"We are doing whatever is necessary to ensure that our country is minimally affected by the global economic storm."
Erdoğan also noted measures taken to improve the investment environment as part of Türkiye's current economic program.
"Recently announced data show that we are on the right track. The confidence of market players abroad in Türkiye and the Turkish economy is also increasing," he said.
