'We Take It Very Seriously': Netanyahu Says He Will Raise Erdogan's Anti-Israel Rhetoric With US

Published 28 June 2026 · politics

'We Take It Very Seriously': Netanyahu Says He Will Raise Erdogan's Anti-Israel Rhetoric With US Published By, Last Updated: June 28, 2026, 23:41 IST Relations

'We Take It Very Seriously': Netanyahu Says He Will Raise Erdogan's Anti-Israel Rhetoric With US Published By, Last Updated: June 28, 2026, 23:41 IST Relations between Israel and Turkey, once close regional partners, have deteriorated sharply since the Gaza war began in 2023 after the Hamas October 7 attack. Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) shaking hands with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. (AFP file photo) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday said his government takes Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s rhetoric against Israel “very seriously" and will raise the issue with the US. “Hardly a day goes by without Erdogan calling for the destruction of the State of Israel. We take those words very seriously, because if there is one thing we have learned from the history of our people, it is that when someone says they intend to destroy you, you should take them seriously," Netanyahu said during a cabinet session, according to The Times of Israel report.

“We will also draw the attention of our American friends to these remarks. We are not ignoring them," he added. The comments come as tensions between Israel and Turkey have sharply escalated since the Gaza war began following the Hamas-led October 7, 2023 attack. Erdogan has emerged as one of Israel’s most vocal critics, repeatedly accusing it of committing genocide in Gaza and backing international action against Israeli leaders. Turkish officials have also intensified their rhetoric in recent weeks, including calls to “liberate" Jerusalem, further straining already fragile ties. Israel-Turkey rift deepens The diplomatic friction has also been reinforced by symbolic and political moves on both sides. On Sunday, the Israeli government unanimously approved a proposal to recognise the mass killings of Armenians under the Ottoman Empire during World War I as genocide — a decision widely viewed as an indirect rebuke to Turkey.

Relations between Israel and Turkey, once close regional partners, have deteriorated sharply since the Gaza war erupted. Turkey has suspended most trade ties with Israel and has positioned itself as a strong diplomatic supporter of Hamas, while Israel has accused Erdogan of hostile and inflammatory rhetoric. The Armenian genocide issue has long been a sensitive diplomatic topic, with successive Israeli governments previously avoiding formal recognition in order to preserve ties with Ankara. Turkey, however, strongly rejects the genocide designation, saying the deaths during World War I were part of wider wartime casualties and not a systematic extermination. (With inputs from AFP) News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad.