Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has strongly rejected the comments of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan after the latter compared him to Adolf Hitler. Netanyahu also accused the Turkish leader of “committing genocide against the Kurds.”
Erdogan said earlier that there was “no difference between the actions of Netanyahu and Hitler” during a ceremony in Ankara on Wednesday.
In the same speech, Erdogan also criticized Germany, saying: “I say this clearly, look: Germany today still continues to pay the price for what Hitler did. That is why Germany is silent, it has its head bowed.”
“We are not indebted to anyone. The West is indebted, they can’t speak up, because they are indebted.”
Berlin has maintained its position that it stands with Israel, but has called on Israel to better protect civilians in Gaza.
The Turkish president has sharply criticized Netanyahu and Israel over the relentless bombardment of the Gaza Strip since the militant Islamist group Hamas carried out the October 7 terror attacks which killed around 1,200 in Israel. Hamas is designated a terrorist group in many countries.
Netanyahu dismissed Erdogan’s comments in a social media statement. The Israeli prime minister accused the Turkish president of praising and hosting Hamas leaders, and said Israel’s army is “fighting to eliminate the most abhorrent and brutal terrorist organization in the world.”
