According to a Likud lawmaker, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is a „very dangerous man,” as tensions between the two countries continue to rise.
Israeli lawmaker Ariel Kellner—a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party—declared that Turkey is a „hostile state.” In an interview with Galei Israel radio, Kellner said that Turkey is „an enemy state in every respect,” and that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is „a dictator who seeks to restore the Islamic caliphate.”.
„He is a very dangerous man who hates Israel with a passion,” Kellner said, adding that Israel and Western nations „should view him as a threat.”.
Kellner’s remarks came after Erdoğan said on Tuesday that Israel’s attacks on Syria and Lebanon had reached a point where they now threaten Turkey as well, and that Israeli „aggression” endangers the security of the entire world. „Israel must be stopped; it is humanity’s duty,” the Turkish president declared.
Netanyahu responded by calling Erdoğan an „anti-Semitic dictator.”.
When U.S. President Donald Trump was asked about Erdoğan’s remarks, he said, „He’s a very good friend of mine, and we’ve worked very well together. I like him very much.”
Turkey has become one of the most vocal critics of Israel’s attacks on Iran, Gaza, and Lebanon. Relations between the two countries deteriorated sharply in May 2024, when Ankara severed trade ties with Israel and joined South Africa’s genocide case at the International Court of Justice.
Although direct exports from Turkey to Israel declined following the embargo, shipments continue to arrive via third countries, totaling $924 million in 2025. Meanwhile, Azerbaijani crude oil continues to flow to Israel via the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline through Turkish ports.
Tensions between Israel and Turkey have continued to escalate in recent weeks, as leaders have exchanged sharp accusations amid the war in Gaza and the power struggle in Syria. In late May, Israeli Culture and Sports Minister Miki Zohar also urged that Turkey be treated as a „hostile state,” warning that it could become Israel’s next major adversary.
Analysis
The current state of Israeli-Turkish relations is is on the brink of an open geopolitical conflict. The analysis is based on three main pillars:
1. Rhetorical escalation: The „strategic enemy” narrative
The fact that both a ruling-party lawmaker (Kellner) and a minister (Zohar) have declared Turkey an „enemy state” is no longer just a political spat. This is a deliberate narrative construction, which aims to prepare Israeli society and its international allies for a potential Turkish-Israeli confrontation. The phrases „restoration of the caliphate” and „anti-Semitic dictator” reignite past historical grievances and religious conflicts, making future diplomatic détente more difficult.
2. Economic Contradictions: Words vs. Numbers
The article highlights the most glaring hypocrisy: the gap between political rhetoric and economic reality. Although Turkey sharply criticizes Israel at the political level, trade continues via third countries, and Azerbaijani oil continues to reach Israel via Turkish ports. This shows that for both Ankara and Tel Aviv, A complete break would be too painful economically, even if that is how it is presented diplomatically.
3. Geopolitical Chess Game: Syria and Lebanon
The main source of tension is not only Gaza, but also the power struggle unfolding in Syria. For Turkey, the stability of Syria and Lebanon is a matter of national security (due to the influx of refugees and the Kurdish territories), while Israel carries out strikes under the pretext of an „escalating threat.” When Erdoğan says that Israel’s aggression „also threatens Turkey,” it indicates that Ankara its ambitions for regional hegemony would enforce against Israel.
Summary: Relations between Israel and Turkey have entered a „Cold War” phase. While direct military conflict remains unlikely, the situation between the two countries proxy conflict (In Syria and Lebanon) the situation is becoming increasingly dangerous. Statements by Kellner and Zohar suggest that the Israeli leadership no longer has confidence in a medium- or long-term reconciliation with Turkey.
