Turkish leaders condemn Israeli FM Katz’s insults toward President Erdogan
Israel's FM Israel Katz, who also serves as intelligence and transport minister, attends the weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem February 24, 2019. (Reuters Photo)
Israeli Foreign Minister Katz, whose controversial post about President Erdogan raised the headlines, received harsh reactions from Turkish top politicians. In his post, Katz claimed that Erdogan is turning Türkiye into a dictatorship by supporting Hamas and blocking Instagram.
In a Turkish-language post on X, Katz targeted President Erdogan with insults and tagged Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB) Mayor Imamoglu at the end of his post.
After Türkiye declared a day of mourning for Hamas Political Bureau Head Ismail Heniyye, who was assassinated in the Iranian capital Tehran, Israeli Foreign Minister Katz made a post targeting diplomats regarding the lowering of the Turkish flag at half-mast at the Tel Aviv Embassy in Ankara.
Since the beginning of the attacks on Gaza, Kantz has been escalating tensions between Ankara and Tel Aviv with his insulting and slanderous posts, especially against President Erdogan.
Following Katz’s post, reactions started to come from Türkiye. Many politicians, including IBB Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, reacted to Katz.
FM Fidan slams Katz
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan used the following statements in his post, “Israel Katz’s constant subjecting of our country and Mr. President to his delusions, instead of serving as Foreign Minister, is a state of sickness.”
“This person, whose presence in the cabinet is nothing but an obsession to spew slander and lies, is the monument of impudence and impudence of the genocidal Netanyahu Government,” he added.
Presidential Communications Director Fahrettin Altun responded harshly to Katz on social media. Stating that Türkiye will not give up its determination, Altun said, “Look here, you murderous psychopath. As long as you take Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s name into your dirty mouth where you suck the blood of innocents, we will continue to support him more and stand behind him more decisively.”
‘It is not your place’
Minister of Interior Ali Yerlikaya responded to Israeli Foreign Minister Katz’s social media post targeting President Erdogan. In his post, Yerlikaya stated that Katz’s insolence continues and said, “The Israeli Minister’s insolence continues. Our President Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdogan is always in the hearts of his nation. 22 years of AK Party governments have carried and continue to carry our country forward in every field.”
“It is not your place to try to give a message to Türkiye as a member of a government that mercilessly massacres children, women and the elderly. We will continue to stand by the oppressed and our Palestinian brothers and sisters,” Yerlikaya added.
On the other hand, ruling AK Party Spokesperson Omer Celik stated in his post that the statement of Israel’s Nazi-headed Foreign Minister Katz targeting our state and our President Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdogan is the delirium of a genocidal murderer.
‘I return you this statement,’ says Imamoglu
IBB Mayor Imamoglu reacted harshly to Israeli Foreign Minister Katz, who made a post targeting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Katz also tagged Imamoglu at the end of his post.
Ekrem Imamoglu stated the following in his post:
“I return you this statement that insults the flag of the Republic of Türkiye and the President of the Republic of Türkiye. We will not learn democracy and law from someone who has the blood of tens of thousands of children on his hands. Yes, everything will be beautiful. When Palestine is free.”
