Erdogan: Israel is a ‘terrorist state’

Erdogan: Israel is a ‘terrorist state’

Shafaq News/ Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday labeled Israel’s actions in Gaza as “state terrorism,” accusing it of genocide and regional destabilization, and urged international intervention.

At the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, Erdogan cited more than 50,800 deaths in Gaza — including women, children, and journalists — as evidence. “If this is not barbarism, what is it…Israel is a terrorist state.”

Silence in response to the Gaza offensive, he said, equates to complicity. He described Israel’s conduct as genocide in defiance of international law and human rights, urging the UN Security Council and global powers to halt the violence and support Palestinians.

Erdogan also identified Israel’s military campaign as a barrier to ceasefire efforts and peace prospects. He reaffirmed Turkiye’s backing for a two-state solution based on 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as the capital of a Palestinian state.

As part of its stance, Turkiye suspended bilateral trade with Israel and formally joined South Africa’s genocide case at the International Court of Justice.

On Syria, Erdogan blamed Israel for inciting sectarian and ethnic divisions aimed at sabotaging the “December 8 revolution” that ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. He said the strategy targets Syria’s minorities to destabilize the region.

Ongoing Israeli strikes in Syria and Lebanon, he argued, fuel instability and hinder efforts to combat Islamic State militants. “Israel is becoming a problematic country that directly threatens the region,” he said.

“Those inflicting suffering on Syrians must be ready to pay the price,” he added, reaffirming Turkiye’s stance: “Syria’s security is our security.”

Erdogan concluded by describing Turkiye not merely as a regional actor, but as its stakeholder.