Politics
Erdoğan to Netanyahu: You’ll end up like Hitler
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stepped up his criticism of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Zionist regime. “Those following in the footsteps of Hitler will end up as all tyrants did throughout history,” he said at an event in Ankara on Thursday.
At the Congress and Culture Center of the Presidential Complex in Ankara, Erdoğan hosted an awards ceremony of the Turkish Red Crescent Society. The president heaped praise on one of the oldest charity organizations of Türkiye and outlined its international aid efforts. As he spoke about the Red Crescent’s efforts to deliver more than 26,000 tons of humanitarian aid to Gaza, Erdoğan also continued his scathing criticism of the Zionist regime of Israel. Erdoğan, who called on the world to stop Israel in a speech on Wednesday, this time called upon the world to hold the Netanyahu administration accountable for the crimes it has committed.
Erdoğan likened the Zionist regime’s attacks across the region to “a shark smelling blood.”
“Eventually, they will pay for their crimes,” he stated.
The president noted that Türkiye both extended its helping hand to those affected by Israel’s attacks and exerted efforts for “this network of murderers to be held accountable.”
“Under its current administration, Israel is nothing but a factory producing instability and chaos, feeding upon blood and tears,” the president stated.
Erdoğan and other Turkish officials often compare the Netanyahu administration to rulers of Nazi Germany, highlighting the irony that a country whose citizens are among Holocaust survivors is now engaged in what Türkiye calls a genocide of Palestinians. Türkiye is a party to an international trial on genocide charges against Israel initiated by South Africa and cut off all ties with Israel after the renewal of Palestinian-Israeli conflict in 2023, shortly after a period where Ankara and Tel Aviv appeared close to rapprochement in their downgraded ties.
Shortly after Erdoğan on Wednesday called on the world to stop Israel’s murderous campaign, Netanyahu took to social media and claimed Israel was morally superior to Türkiye in a sharp retort to Erdoğan.
Türkiye is a fierce critic of Israel and one of the few countries in its region to openly defy the Netanyahu administration’s genocidal campaign of expansionism that spread from the Palestinian territories to Lebanon and beyond. For Ankara, Israel is the biggest obstacle to peace in the wider region.
Red Crescent’s success
In his speech, Erdoğan also praised the Turkish Red Crescent, which ranked first among similar organizations across the world last year with the amount of aid delivered to the most countries. “This accomplishment is also an indicator of our nation’s generosity and sense of solidarity,” Erdoğan said.
He noted the Red Crescent’s role especially in the aftermath of the Feb. 6, 2023, earthquakes and how it delivered meals, food, thousands of tents and blankets while operating mobile kitchens.
“In Gaza, where the Zionist genocide network led by Netanyahu continues its attacks, our Red Crescent has delivered more than 26,000 tons of humanitarian aid supplies to the region to date. Since Oct. 7, it has contributed to the tables of our Gazan brothers and sisters with 15 million meals. Through its soup kitchen services, it has distributed hot meals to 30,000 people daily. Providing food services to children in Gaza through the Gaza Cheerful Children Project initiated after the cease-fire, the Red Crescent is also simultaneously carrying out psychosocial support activities for children,” Erdoğan said.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is set to unveil Türkiye’s new artificial intelligence road map on June 13, outlining the country’s strategy to strengthen its position in the rapidly evolving global AI sector and accelerate its digital transformation efforts.
The road map, prepared under the auspices of the presidency, is expected to bring together government institutions, technology companies, defense industry representatives, academics and entrepreneurs at a launch event in Istanbul.
Officials describe the initiative as a key milestone in Türkiye’s efforts to expand its technological capabilities and establish a more competitive digital economy.
The strategy is expected to define the country’s priorities, investment plans and long-term objectives in artificial intelligence, with a particular focus on infrastructure development, human capital and industrial innovation.
Among the measures anticipated in the road map are the establishment of high-capacity data centers, strengthening of digital infrastructure and the expansion of training programs aimed at developing a skilled AI workforce.
The plan is also expected to encourage broader use of artificial intelligence in manufacturing, support digital transformation across industries and provide incentives for domestic technology startups.
Another key objective is the development of a stronger domestic AI ecosystem, including efforts to advance Türkiye’s own large language models and AI infrastructure. Universities are expected to play a larger role through expanded AI-focused education programs and research initiatives.
Artificial intelligence applications in public services, defense technologies, health care analytics, education technologies and entrepreneurship support mechanisms are also expected to feature prominently in discussions during the event.
Officials view the road map as a foundation for Türkiye’s future digital economy strategy and a framework for coordinating public and private sector investments in emerging technologies.
The announcement is expected to provide the most comprehensive outline to date of Türkiye’s ambitions in artificial intelligence and its plans to leverage the technology to drive economic growth, innovation and competitiveness in the years ahead.
Prosecutors in northwestern Türkiye have sought up to 402 years in prison for suspended Bursa Mayor Mustafa Bozbey of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) and up to 946 years for former Nilüfer Mayor Turgay Erdem as part of a sweeping corruption and organized crime investigation involving dozens of suspects, according to an indictment accepted by a local court on Wednesday.
The 862-page indictment, prepared by the Bursa Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office and accepted by the Bursa 2nd High Criminal Court, names 63 defendants, including 37 who remain in pretrial detention.
Prosecutors accuse Bozbey and Erdem of leading separate criminal organizations allegedly involved in bribery, money laundering, zoning violations and abuse of public office.
According to the indictment, Bozbey established an organized structure during his tenure as mayor of Nilüfer, one of Bursa’s largest districts, and used public authority to maintain the group’s operations. Prosecutors allege that members of the organization approved construction projects in violation of zoning regulations in exchange for bribes from developers.
The indictment claims that unauthorized increases in construction density and irregular occupancy permits generated illicit financial gains, while proceeds from the alleged scheme were laundered through family members, shell companies and affiliated entities.
Investigators further claim that shell companies were established to conceal illicit proceeds and that property transfers were carried out under the appearance of legitimate commercial transactions. Financial crime investigators reportedly found no corresponding payment records for some real estate transfers that prosecutors described as bribes.
The indictment also alleges that cash payments collected from developers were distributed among members of the organization and that some architectural projects linked to the case were funneled through a private firm connected to Bozbey’s family.
Bozbey is charged with establishing and leading a criminal organization, accepting bribes, causing zoning pollution and unlawfully exercising public authority. Erdem faces similar accusations, including acting as an organizer within the alleged network.
The case stems from a corruption investigation launched by Bursa prosecutors that led to a series of raids and arrests beginning in March. Authorities detained dozens of suspects, including municipal employees, businesspeople and members of Bozbey’s family.
Bozbey was arrested in April and later suspended from office by the Interior Ministry as a temporary measure pending judicial proceedings. Erdem had already been jailed in a related investigation in October 2025.
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul discussed bilateral relations, preparations for the upcoming NATO Summit in Ankara and ongoing negotiations between Iran and the United States, in a phone conversation on Tuesday, diplomatic sources said.
The two ministers reviewed Türkiye-Germany relations and exchanged views on preparations for the upcoming NATO Summit scheduled to be held in Ankara.
They also discussed the ongoing talks between Iran and the United States, amid continued international efforts to advance a diplomatic solution and ease regional tensions.
The call comes as Ankara and Berlin maintain close coordination on regional security issues and transatlantic cooperation within NATO.
A deepening power struggle within Türkiye’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) escalated Thursday after 28 members resigned from the party’s governing council, while party leaders moved to expel nine lawmakers allied with Özgür Özel, highlighting a growing institutional crisis following a court ruling that invalidated recent party congresses.
The latest developments exposed widening divisions between supporters of reinstated leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu and those backing Özel, who claims he is still the legitimate chair of the party; Özel rallied supporters at Parliament in the meantime, now under the title of the party’s “parliamentary group chair.”
CHP lawmaker Zeynel Emre announced that 28 members of the Party Assembly (PM), the party’s highest decision-making body between congresses, had formally submitted their resignations through a notary public.
“The congress must be convened from this point forward. Failing to do so would be a crime,” Emre told reporters at Parliament. “If they remain and insist on continuing, they will also be committing the offense of unlawfully assuming duties.”
Emre argued that under CHP bylaws, the Party Assembly loses its ability to function when membership falls below a required threshold following resignations and replacement procedures.
He said the party chair would then be obligated to convene a congress within 45 days to elect a new assembly.
According to Emre, the CHP could face serious legal risks if a congress is not held before July 25, including potential challenges to its eligibility to participate in elections.
The resignations came one day after the CHP’s Central Executive Board (MYK), chaired by Kılıçdaroğlu, voted unanimously to refer nine prominent lawmakers to the party’s High Disciplinary Board (YDK) with a request for permanent expulsion.
Those referred include deputy parliamentary group leader Ali Mahir Başarır and senior lawmakers Veli Ağbaba, Gökhan Günaydın, Özgür Karabat, Burhanettin Bulut, Umut Akdoğan, Nurhayat Altaca Kayışoğlu, Turan Taşkın Özer and Ensar Aytekin.
On the other hand, the CHP Party Assembly was scheduled to convene on Thursday with its remaining 28 members after the resignation of 28 assembly members.
The meeting, chaired by CHP Chair Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, began at party headquarters in Ankara.
Moreover, party spokesperson Müslim Sarı said the disciplinary action was necessary to protect the CHP’s institutional identity and address what he described as conduct that contributed to the party’s current crisis.
“We have decided to initiate a disciplinary process regarding individuals who contributed to a situation in which the CHP congresses were effectively rendered invalid and whose actions have damaged the party’s institutional identity,” Sarı told reporters after a meeting of the executive board.
Sarı rejected claims that the party leadership intended to avoid holding a congress, saying party officials would discuss possible timelines and procedures during a Party Assembly meeting.
“There is no escape from a congress,” he noted. “The CHP will hold its congress at the earliest reasonable time.”
The disciplinary measures were immediately condemned by lawmakers targeted in the decision.
Başarır, one of the party’s most visible parliamentary figures, dismissed the move as illegitimate and accused Kılıçdaroğlu’s leadership of unlawfully occupying party positions.
“The people have already passed judgment on them,” Başarır said in Parliament. “As long as the public does not expel us from their hearts and minds, these decisions mean nothing to us.”
He argued that only the Party Assembly has the authority to expel members of Parliament and accused the executive board of exceeding its powers.
Another CHP lawmaker, Mustafa Sezgin Tanrıkulu, described the disciplinary decision as “a disgrace” and said a party that advocates democracy and the rule of law could not credibly do so while violating its own internal rules.
The dispute also produced conflicting interpretations of party bylaws and the legal consequences of the appeals court ruling.
CHP Deputy Chair Berhan Şimşek rejected claims that the resignations had rendered the Party Assembly incapable of functioning.
“As long as the legal process continues at the Court of Cassation, we cannot hold neighborhood elections, district elections or a congress,” Şimşek told reporters at party headquarters.
“Even if only five members remain in the Party Assembly, life goes on,” he added.
The legal and political battle stems from a court decision that invalidated subsequent CHP congresses and restored the legitimacy of party organs elected at the party’s July 2020 congress. The ruling effectively created competing claims to authority within the party and triggered disputes over leadership, parliamentary representation and organizational control.
At the same time, lawmakers aligned with Özel have argued that Kılıçdaroğlu’s camp is using disciplinary mechanisms to silence political opponents and consolidate control.
The escalating confrontation raises new questions about the future of Türkiye’s largest opposition party, which faces one of the most serious internal crises in its modern history.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Wednesday hit out at Israel’s expansionism and cooperation with Türkiye’s adversaries. “Türkiye will respond strongly and clearly against any threat to its sovereignty and the rights of Turkish Cypriots in the Eastern Mediterranean,” he said.
Addressing the parliamentary group meeting of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) in Ankara, Erdoğan also warned Israel against threatening the security of Syria and Lebanon. “Security of Damascus, Beirut means Türkiye’s security; we cannot accept fait accompli,” he said.
“We will never allow Israel to achieve its Promised Land plan,” Erdoğan added.
Türkiye is a fierce critic of Israel and one of the few countries in its region to openly defy the Netanyahu administration’s genocidal campaign of expansionism that spread from the Palestinian territories to Lebanon and beyond. For Ankara, Israel is the biggest obstacle to peace in the wider region. The country has exerted efforts for a diplomatic solution to the Palestine-Israel conflict and cut off all ties with Israel since the genocide in Gaza began three years ago. Erdoğan is at the forefront of the criticism and has repeatedly urged the international community to stop Israel before it embarked on another campaign of terror in Lebanon.
Erdoğan underlined that Israel’s aggressive stance posed a threat to humanity and recalled how inaction to Hitler led to the deaths of 80 million people 85 years ago. “Humanity paid the price for what a mad murderer did. The same mistake is being repeated now. Israel should be stopped now. This should be the duty of humanity. We should not allow history to repeat itself.”
In his speech on Wednesday, Erdoğan lamented successive crises and wars in the region culminating in “heartbreaking cries of the oppressed from Gaza to Lebanon.”
Erdoğan singled out Israel as a country functioning as a destabilizing force in the region, “always threatening peace, prosperity, security.”
“The occupation of Palestine and the genocide targeting Palestinians continue. Seventy-three thousand innocent people were slaughtered before the very eyes of the world in Gaza. This genocide is complimented with inhumane isolation of people. Israel has carried out the bloodiest genocide in mankind’s history and did not stop there. It attacked Iran and at the same time and began occupying Lebanon. Despite reactions by countries including Türkiye, it refuses withdrawal from Lebanon. Since March 2, the number of those killed in Lebanon has reached 3,700, and 11,400 people were injured,” he highlighted.
Erdoğan said that Israel simultaneously hatched a plan to destabilize African countries and the Mediterranean. “It is truly a generator of constant strife, a source of trouble spanning across a wide area,” he said.
The president decried the lack of international reaction to Israel’s illegal, immoral policies. “Under its current administration, Israel is spoiled and has become a source of threat not just for the region but for all of humanity. Attacks on Syria and Lebanon by Netanyahu and his network of murderers are now threatening Türkiye as well as these two brotherly countries,” Erdoğan underlined.
The president stressed that Syria and Lebanon had bonds of love and brotherhood with Türkiye. “Damascus and Beirut are sister cities of Istanbul. Türkiye’s security does not begin from Hatay (on the Syrian border). It starts from Damascus, from Beirut. We cannot tolerate any fait accompli in the countries of our brothers and sisters; we cannot turn a blind eye to attacks on them,” Erdoğan said.
Without naming him, Erdoğan slammed Israel’s defense minister, Israel Katz, who is known for his social media posts targeting Erdoğan and Türkiye. Katz recently drew the ire of Turks for a similar post in response to remarks by Interior Minister Mustafa Çiftçi.
“They are threatening Türkiye. We are aware of your intention. We know what you are pursuing; we are aware of the ambition of your ‘Promised Land’ delusion. We will not allow you to realize it,” Erdoğan said. The “Promised Land” is a foundational concept in Zionist ideology, corresponding roughly to modern-day Israel and parts of neighboring countries. According to extremist Zionist belief, it represents the land promised by God to them. For centuries, this concept has held immense significance in shaping Zionist identity, serving as a spiritual and historical anchor. It has fueled aggressive actions by many Zionist followers, who have used it to justify the killing of civilians in and around Israel through attacks and airstrikes.
Erdoğan also pointed out that Israel and its accomplices were engaged in starting “a fire” in the Mediterranean, especially in Cyprus, and said they were following the developments. Türkiye is a guarantor state in divided Cyprus and recognizes the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). It has no ties to the Greek Cypriot administration based in parts of southern Cyprus.
Greek Cypriots have boosted their engagement with many countries, bolstering military cooperation in particular, with countries ranging from Israel to France and India. In the past two decades, it has signed agreements and protocols with the U.S., United Arab Emirates (UAE), Czechia, Armenia, France, India, Jordan, Egypt and Greece for military alliance, transfer of military technology and use of air and maritime bases. In 2016, it signed a Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) with Israel. The agreement’s content is not fully disclosed, but it is reported that the agreement allows Israel to use military bases and facilities in southern Cyprus, according to media reports. The Greek Cypriot administration also signed defense cooperation agreements with Israel in 2017 and 2024. The Greek Cypriot administration also signed a deal with France allowing deployment of French troops on the island. The deployment requires approval of Türkiye, Greece and the United Kingdom, guarantor states of the divided island.
The president said “some small circles whose ambitions are bigger than their size” have jumped on the Israeli bandwagon and served as “contractors of Zionism.”
“They are chasing dreams in the Eastern Mediterranean. Let me be clear: Do not engage in adventures, do not ride on the tails of the Zionist network of murderers. Our response to attempts at rights and sovereignty of Türkiye and Turkish Cypriots in the Eastern Mediterranean will be clear and very strong,” he said.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday described President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as a “great leader” and a close friend, underscoring the strong relationship between the two leaders while dismissing concerns about potential tensions between Türkiye and Israel.
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump was asked about the possibility of a confrontation between Türkiye and Israel amid growing regional tensions. The question came as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a series of anti-Erdoğan remarks on social media, followed by Erdoğan’s warning against Israeli expansionism and violations.
The U.S. president said he had not heard of any such scenario and suggested he would personally intervene if necessary.
“He’s a very good friend of mine, and we’ve worked very well together,” Trump said of Erdoğan. “I like him. He’s a great leader and a very strong person.”
Trump expressed confidence that relations between Türkiye and Israel would not escalate into direct conflict, pointing to the mutual respect he said exists between himself and Erdoğan.
“If I heard something like that, I would call him and make sure everything was fine,” Trump said. “I don’t think something like that will happen with Türkiye. He respects me, and I respect him. Beyond that, we have a good friendship.”
The remarks highlighted the longstanding rapport between the two leaders, who have maintained regular communication on a range of regional issues despite periodic disagreements between Washington and Ankara.
Türkiye is a fierce critic of Israel and one of the few countries in its region to openly defy the Netanyahu administration’s genocidal campaign of expansionism that spread from the Palestinian territories to Lebanon and beyond.
For Ankara, Israel is the biggest obstacle to peace in the wider region. The country has exerted efforts for a diplomatic solution to the Palestine-Israel conflict and cut off all ties with Israel since the genocide in Gaza began three years ago. Erdoğan is at the forefront of the criticism and has repeatedly urged the international community to stop Israel before it embarks on another campaign of terror in Lebanon.
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