Turkey–Israel war of words escalates as Ankara calls Netanyahu “Hitler of our time”

ALBAWABA- A sharp diplomatic confrontation erupted between Turkey and Israel on Saturday after senior officials traded personal insults, with Ankara responding to Israeli remarks by branding Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the “Hitler of our time.”

The dispute escalated after Netanyahu accused Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on social media of “murdering his own people” and supporting Iran. 

Israeli Foreign Minister also issued a strongly worded statement on X, describing Erdogan as a “paper tiger,” criticising Turkey’s regional policies, and accusing Ankara of “antisemitism” and political persecution of Israel-linked figures. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir further inflamed tensions with an expletive-laden remark directed at Erdogan.

Turkey responded swiftly, condemning what it called “unacceptable and degrading rhetoric” and accusing Israeli leaders of crossing diplomatic red lines. Senior Turkish officials described Netanyahu as the “Hitler of our time,” while rejecting Israeli accusations as “outrageous incitement” and a deliberate distortion of Turkey’s position in the region.

The Turkish official said that Benjamin Netanyahu has no right to accuse President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, describing Netanyahu as a “war criminal” who is wanted by the International Criminal Court and subject to international legal proceedings over the killing of more than 70,000 Palestinians. 

The official further accused Netanyahu of committing “heinous crimes” in Gaza, Syria, Lebanon, and Iran, and claimed that his criticism of Turkey is an attempt to deflect from his “impending accountability,” according to the Turkish statement.

The exchange comes amid already strained relations between the two countries, with Turkey playing an increasingly active diplomatic role during the ongoing US–Iran confrontation and the crisis in Lebanon. Israeli officials have recently intensified criticism of Ankara, portraying it as part of an emerging “regional axis” aligned against Israeli security interests.

Tensions have also been fuelled by Turkey’s recent display of expanded defence capabilities, including the production of the Tayfun Block-4 ballistic missile and new missile warhead facilities, developments Israeli officials view with concern.

The rhetorical escalation underscores deepening strategic mistrust between Ankara and Tel Aviv, with each side accusing the other of destabilising the region and undermining diplomatic efforts. The exchange also risks complicating broader international attempts to stabilise multiple ongoing crises across the Middle East.