Israeli Culture Minister Miki Zohar has called on Israel to treat Turkey as an “enemy state,” further escalating tensions between the two countries amid growing regional disputes and sharp political rhetoric.
Zohar made the remarks while criticising Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Ankara’s increasingly hostile stance toward Israel during the ongoing Genocide in Gaza. The minister accused Turkey of supporting groups hostile to Israel and claimed Ankara’s regional policies posed a growing threat to Israeli security interests.
Relations between Turkey and Israel have deteriorated significantly since the start of the Gaza conflict, with both governments exchanging strong criticism over military actions, regional influence, and diplomatic policy. Turkey has repeatedly condemned Israeli operations in Gaza and accused Israel of committing war crimes against Palestinians.
The latest comments are expected to further damage already strained relations between the two countries, which have seen diplomatic disputes, trade tensions, and growing political hostility over the past year.
Critics have also pointed to similar rhetoric previously used by Israeli officials toward countries such as Lebanon, Syria, and Iran, which Israel later carried out military strikes or attacks against. The latest comments regarding Turkey have raised concerns among some observers that Israel could potentially target or confront Turkey more directly in the future if tensions between the two countries continue to escalate.
