Netanyahu's rhetoric against Erdogan risks escalating tensions before Israeli elections, security officials warn

Israeli security officials have cautioned that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's increasingly harsh political rhetoric directed at Turkey could lead to unnecessary escalations. The warnings come as Netanyahu and his Likud party have intensified their use of Turkey and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as a focal point in their election campaigns. According to Israeli media, some security officials believe that disputes with Turkey should not be escalated to public confrontation. These officials reportedly advocated for a recent strike in Syria to be conducted with minimal public attention to avoid direct conflict with Ankara. They also disagreed with strong public statements made by Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz following the strike. The tension has escalated further, with Turkey seeking an international arrest warrant for Netanyahu. Ankara accuses him of genocide for his actions concerning Gaza and the interception of a Gaza-bound aid flotilla in May. Netanyahu's office responded by calling Erdogan an "antisemitic dictator" who supports Hamas and persecutes his own people, vowing to continue acting against Turkish destabilization efforts in the region. Syria has also reported Israeli airstrikes on a base near the Turkish border, which Turkey has dismissed as "absurd" statements.

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Erdogan is an antisemitic dictator who massacres Kurds, supports the murder by the Hamas organization and oppresses his own people.