War of words escalates as Turkey accuses Israel of genocide, Jerusalem brands Erdogan antisemitic

Tensions between Israel and Turkey have escalated sharply following remarks by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan against Zionism and the Israeli government. Erdogan accused the Israeli government of being "addicted to war," claiming that the ideology of Zionism, which he described as "occupying and murderous," threatens not only Israel's neighbors but regional peace. Referring to the situation in Gaza, he further accused Israel of turning the territory into the "world's largest cemetery for children." In response, the Israeli Foreign Ministry accused Erdogan of behaving "like the worst antisemites in history," alleging that he is attempting to divert attention from his suppression of political rivals in Turkey and his support for Hamas. Erdogan's spokesman, Burhanettin Duran, dismissed Israel's accusations as "propaganda," claiming that Israel uses the label of antisemitism to obscure its "war crimes and genocide." The Turkish Foreign Ministry subsequently issued a statement comparing Israel's public diplomacy efforts to the propaganda machine of Joseph Goebbels in Nazi Germany, asserting that the international community no longer believes the lies of the Netanyahu government.