Sa’ar slams ‘oppressive and imperialist’ Erdogan for defending Iran, comparing PM to Hitler

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar condemns an “inflammatory” speech by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan today, in which the long-time critic of Israel asserted Iran’s right to defend itself from Israel’s military campaign and compared Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Adolf Hitler.

“The sultan, in his own eyes, in yet another inflammatory and lashing speech, continues to incite against Israel and against the Prime Minister of Israel,” writes Sa’ar on X.

“Erdogan, who holds the record for suppressing freedoms and the rights of his citizens, as well as oppressing the opposition in his country, dares to preach to others,” Sa’ar continues, calling it “especially ironic that someone who does not conceal his imperialist ambitions — who invaded northern Syria and unlawfully holds northern Cyprus — presumes to speak in the name of morality and international law.”

Turkey has sent troops into parts of northern Syria since 2016, saying it needs to fight Kurdish militants near its border, though many see this as an illegal occupation of Syrian land. In 1974, Ankara invaded northern Cyprus after a coup backed by Greece, and later established the self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus — a state recognized only by Turkey that remains under Turkish control despite international disapproval.