Turkey's foreign minister calls Israel a 'problem' and 'unbearable burden' for the world

Turkey's top diplomat has escalated verbal attacks against Israel, labeling the nation a global problem and a burden humanity can no longer endure. Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan stated in a CNNTürk interview that Israel is widely seen as a destabilizing factor.

“

It is a disturbing element: a country that, unfortunately, brings instability, oppression, bloodshed, and massacres wherever it goes, governed by a band of irresponsible people.

Fidan described Israel as a disruptive element, unfortunately bringing instability, oppression, bloodshed, and massacres wherever it goes, and accused it of being governed by "irresponsible people." These strong words come despite decades of close diplomatic and commercial ties between Turkey and Israel.

The relationship has reached a nadir following the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks and Israel's subsequent military operations in Gaza, which have resulted in significant Palestinian casualties. Fidan suggested Israel is now seeking a new enemy to mend its damaged international image, claiming it exploited the Holocaust for unlimited tolerance in Europe.

“

Due to the Holocaust, Israel was a burden on Europe's conscience, and Israel exploited that to the fullest, and that's why there was unlimited tolerance for Israel. Now we see that tolerance disappearing.

"We see that tolerance is disappearing," Fidan remarked, pointing to a growing debate within the European Union for a firmer stance against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government. He believes Israel and Netanyahu have "shot themselves in the foot" and can no longer operate as before.

“

I don't think things will continue to be so easy for them from now on. They are no longer in a position to continue as before. They have reached the end of the road. Israel has shot itself in the foot and Netanyahu has done the greatest damage to his own society.

Fidan concluded that Turkey has no reason to fear or hesitate when Israel or any other actor acts against its national or regional interests. He reiterated that Israel is not just Turkey's problem, but the world's. This rhetoric follows President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's recent criticism of Israel, particularly regarding the Armenian genocide issue.

“

Israel is not only my problem, it is the world's problem.