Turkey’s president on Sunday criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over his remarks targeting Turkey’s ongoing operation in Afrin, Syria.
“He says our soldiers are oppressing people in Afrin. Netanyahu, you are very weak, very poor,” said Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
“We are dealing with terrorists, but you are not. Because you are a terror state,” Erdogan told the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party Congress in the southern Adana province.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan calls Israel a "terrorist state" https://t.co/oVwRa5hcyT pic.twitter.com/wuLern8IXR
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) April 1, 2018
Erdogan’s remarks came after at least 17 Gazans were killed and hundreds injured on Friday when Israeli forces opened fire on protesters marking “Land Day.”
Land Day is an annual Palestinian commemoration of the deaths of six Arab citizens of Israel killed by Israeli forces in 1976 during demonstrations over government land confiscations in northern Israel.
Calling the Israeli leader “an occupier” in Palestine, Erdogan said Netanyahu has no right to criticize Turkey.
Erdogan Hits Back: Netanyahu Is a ‘Terrorist’ and Israel Is a ‘Terror State’https://t.co/HM9QJ91bHX pic.twitter.com/9Ut7VmkpIT
— Haaretz.com (@haaretzcom) April 1, 2018
“You are also a terrorist. History is recording what you have done to all those oppressed Palestinians,” Erdogan said, adding that he believes Israelis too are disturbed by Netanyahu’s misdeeds.
Friday’s rallies were the start of a six-week protest that culminates on May 15, the day the Palestinians call “Nakba,” or the Catastrophe, when Israel was founded.
#Turkey's President #Erdogan's second broadside for #Israel in a day as he calls Prime Minister @netanyahu as "terrorist and occupier" in a convention speech held in Adana province today. pic.twitter.com/SmT4StqkGr
— Abdullah Bozkurt (@abdbozkurt) April 1, 2018
The demonstrators are demanding that Palestinian refugees be allowed the right of return to towns and villages which their families fled from or were driven out of when the state of Israel was created in 1948.
(MEMO, PC, Social Media)
Erdogan called Netanyahu a terrorist and Israel a terrorist State….. This is whole truth & nothing but the Truth & the evidence is over whelming. God Bless Erdogan for speaking out about this. There are winds of change in the Middle East as evil forces are being stamped out. One can only operate from a position of strength. Stay United with people power Palestine. Israel is trying in desperation to break your spirit but have failed abysmally. Bullies are weak at heart & the devil eventually turns on itself as it has no love or loyalty. GOD BLESS PALESTINE… HOLD STRONG.