Netanyahu calls Erdogan a "tyrant" as Israel-Turkey ties sour
The comment lands as Israel weighs further strikes on Iran and oil holds above $80 a barrel
Published
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan a "tyrant" on Thursday. The remark comes as Netanyahu has stepped up hawkish rhetoric this week, holding up a pager at a public appearance and saying Israel has "no other choice" but to win, a reference to Israel's pager attack on Hezbollah.
The tension with Ankara unfolds alongside stalled US-Iran talks. An Israeli official has said the chance of a deal with Tehran is small, even as Washington and Iran discuss a phased plan to lift the US blockade and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. A separate Israeli source has said new Iranian strikes are a matter of time, with Israel prepared to hit Iranian nuclear sites again if Tehran crosses red lines. Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, warned European officials on Wednesday against backing US and Israeli actions, calling them war crimes.
Turkey's commercial ties to the West remain active despite the rhetoric. Turkish Airlines finalized an order for up to 150 Boeing 737 Max jets on Wednesday, and Turkey and Bangladesh followed with an order for 111 more Boeing jets, with options for 50 additional aircraft.
Turkey is a NATO member and a key transit point for regional trade and diplomacy, so a public rupture between Netanyahu and Erdogan is a bearish signal for near-term de-escalation efforts. With oil above $80 a barrel and Israel weighing further action against Iran, deteriorating Israeli-Turkish relations add another complication for US interests in the region.