President Tayyip Erdogan has signaled that Turkey might intervene in Israel to support Palestinians, drawing parallels to Turkish military actions in Libya and Nagorno-Karabakh. Speaking at a meeting of his ruling AK Party in Rize, Erdogan condemned Israel's offensive in Gaza and suggested that Turkey could take similar steps as it did in previous conflicts.
"We must be very strong so that Israel can't do these ridiculous things to Palestine. Just like we entered Karabakh, just like we entered Libya, we might do similar to them," Erdogan stated in his televised address. This rhetoric comes amid a backdrop of escalating violence and political tension in the Gaza conflict.
The specifics of Erdogan's potential intervention remain unclear. AK Party representatives did not provide further details, and Israel has yet to respond officially. In the past, Turkey deployed military personnel to Libya in 2020 to support the UN-recognized Government of National Accord and has supported Azerbaijan with military training and equipment in its conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, though it denies direct involvement in military operations.
Erdogan's comments have exacerbated tensions with Israel. Following his speech, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz compared Erdogan to former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. "Just let him remember what happened there and how it ended," Katz wrote on X, referencing Hussein's capture by U.S. forces in 2003.
In response, the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs drew a stark comparison between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Adolf Hitler, stating, "Just as genocidal Hitler ended, so will genocidal Netanyahu." The ministry added, "Humanity will stand by the Palestinians. You will not be able to destroy the Palestinians."
Erdogan has been vocally critical of Israel throughout the Gaza conflict, which has now entered its eleventh month. He underscored the need for strength to counter Israel's actions against Palestinians, saying, "We need to be very strong so that Israel cannot do these ridiculous things to Palestine. Just as we entered Karabakh, just as we entered Libya, we can do something similar to them."
Turkey's involvement in Libya in 2020 and its support for Azerbaijan in Nagorno-Karabakh have set a precedent for Erdogan's latest threats. In Libya, Turkish forces backed the Tripoli-based government of Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, while in Nagorno-Karabakh, Turkey has provided military support to Azerbaijan, including advanced combat drones and other equipment.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan defended Erdogan's stance, describing him as "the voice of humanity's conscience." Fidan claimed that "international Zionist circles, especially Israel, who want to suppress this righteous voice, are in great alarm," and noted that "history ended the same way for all genociders and their supporters."
Earlier this year, Turkey restricted some exports to Israel and halted trade entirely in May. In retaliation, Israel indicated it might scrap the free trade agreement with Turkey. Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich suggested the agreement could be reinstated under a new Turkish leader who is "sane and not a hater of Israel."
