Erdoğan says Israel's increasing threat rhetoric against Lebanon 'deeply concerning' for regional peace

ANKARA

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has warned that Israel's increased aggression and threatening tone against Lebanon are a major threat to the future and security of the region.

"No state in our region, including Türkiye, can feel safe unless the Israeli aggression under [Israeli Prime Minister] Netanyahu's administration is stopped," Erdoğan told reporters following a cabinet meeting in the capital Ankara on Tuesday.

Erdoğan called Netanyahu a murderer and reiterated that if the Western world continues to support him while the Islamic world remains silent, Israel will continue its occupation policy at the "cost of dragging our entire region into the fire."

Erdoğan stated that Türkiye constantly stresses that the Gaza crisis will not be limited to Gaza and that Israeli atrocities could have serious consequences while it pursues expansionist goals on all fronts, adding that missile tensions with Iran and increasing attacks on Lebanon justify these concerns.

Israel launched its war on Gaza in retaliation for the Hamas' Oct. 7 attacks that resulted in the deaths of more than 1,190 people, mostly civilians, according to Israeli official figures.

Israel's offensive has killed more than 37,900 people in Gaza, mostly civilians, according to the Hamas-run territory's health ministry.

The war has also led to soaring tensions on Israel's northern border with Lebanon, where the army has been trading nearly daily fire with the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement, a key Hamas ally, sparing fear of a wider conflict.

Erdoğan has been a vocal critic of Israel's brutal military campaign in Gaza, frequently lambasting the Netanyahu administration and the Western powers that back it.

"I must warn once more. We are dealing with a murderer who fails to meet the basic standards of a statesman, has lost his mind and conscience, and has succumbed to his ambitions. This tyrant, who lives off the blood of innocents, disregards even the safety of his own citizens in order to extend his political career," he said.

Erdoğan emphasized the importance of peace, dialogue, and diplomacy, highlighting the need to strengthen mutual dialogue with neighboring countries while increasing solidarity among Islamic nations.

Ankara has repeatedly urged the United Nations Security Council and the United States to put pressure on Israel to accept a cease-fire proposal and stop the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

'Insidious trap'

Regarding the recent tensions in Syria, Erdoğan stated that Türkiye is solely defending its homeland against separatist intentions and will not fall into this "insidious trap."

On Türkiye's foreign policy, Erdogan said that it is beneficial to "open clenched fists" and not hesitate to meet with whoever is necessary.

He stated, "Of course, we will prioritize Türkiye's interests while doing so, but we will not allow anyone who trusts us, takes refuge with us, or acts in partnership with us to suffer in this process."

Erdoğan stated that Ankara is actively working to find a political solution to the tensions in Syria and has taken concrete steps to prevent bloodshed. 

He said Türkiye will continue to ensure the security of "our country and our people" as long as there are "bloodthirsty groups" in Syria with their guns pointed toward it.

Erdoğan says that Türkiye has prioritized preserving Syria's territorial integrity and national unity while dealing the heaviest blow to the terrorist state planned to be established along its southern borders with the PKK and ISIL. Erdoğan emphasized the desire for Syria to become a democratic, prosperous, and strong nation rather than one plagued by instability and dominated by terrorist organizations.

He stressed that 670,000 people have returned to settlements in northern Syria cleared of terrorism by Türkiye, and another 1 million people are expected to return when projects are completed.

After a crime by a Syrian national in the central city of Kayseri on Sunday, Türkiye, home to 3.6 million Syrian refugees who fled the civil war in 2012, has been dealing with violence and negative social media trends.

Erdoğan remarked on the violence and riots that emerged in the aftermath of the crime, asserting that Türkiye "will address the refugee crisis in a rational, conscientious manner that is based on the realities of the country and economy, rather than on prejudices or fears."

He emphasized that public order is a red line for the state, and it will not tolerate any violation of this line.

Similar riots broke out in cities from Antalya to Gaziantep, but they were smaller in scale.

"Just as we know how to break the dirty hands reaching for our flag, we also know how to break the hands reaching out to the innocent people who have taken refuge in our country," the president said.