Table Of Contents

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has warned that Türkiye is turning into “the new Iran”, a smart but dangerous power that wants more control in the Middle East.

Bennett commented earlier this year during a speech to American Jewish leaders.

He said Türkiye and Qatar are gaining strong influence in Syria after the fall of Bashar al-Assad.

He called Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan “sophisticated and dangerous” and said Türkiye wants to surround Israel.

The tension between Israel and Turkey has grown much worse in recent days.

On April 11, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu posted on X (formerly Twitter).

He said Israel will keep fighting Iran and its allies.

He accused Erdoğan of helping those groups and “massacring his own Kurdish citizens.”

Türkiye replied with very strong words.

Its Foreign Ministry called Netanyahu “the Hitler of our time.”

The statement came after reports that Turkish prosecutors want to punish Netanyahu and other Israeli officials over past events.

Broken Ties Between Israel And Türkiye

Israel and Türkiye once had normal relations.

However, after the October 2023 attacks by Hamas on Israel, Türkiye stopped all trade with Israel and closed its airspace to Israeli planes.

Türkiye also supports Hamas, which Israel considers a major enemy.

Türkiye’s Growing Power In Syria

A main reason for the anger is what is happening in Syria.

Türkiye has sent more troops to northern Syria and is working closely with the new leaders there.

Qatar is spending heavily on power plants, roads, and other rebuilding projects.

Israel worries that this Türkiye-Qatar partnership could create a strong Islamic bloc that threatens Israeli security.

The Kurdish Issue

Netanyahu’s comment about the Kurds points to a real and painful conflict.

Türkiye has carried out many military operations against Kurdish fighters in Syria and inside Turkey.

Türkiye says these groups are terrorists who attack Turkish people.

However, rights groups say Turkish forces have also hurt civilians and forced many Kurds to leave their homes.

Views On The US-Iran Ceasefire

A short ceasefire between the United States and Iran is set to end on April 22.

President Erdoğan says Türkiye wants to extend the ceasefire so peace talks can continue.

He has warned that Israel may try to sabotage the process.

Erdoğan also said any peace in the region will come “despite the Zionist regime” and the current Israeli government.

Many observers question whether Erdoğan truly wants peace.

They note that he often uses strong anti-Israel statements to gain support at home while Türkiye expands its influence in Syria.

A Problem Inside NATO?

Türkiye is still a member of NATO, the Western military alliance. It has one of the largest armies in the group.

However, its actions and words have led some leaders to wonder whether Türkiye is becoming a difficult, if not risky, partner.

Bennett’s warning raises a serious question: Is Türkiye slowly replacing Iran as a major threat to Israel and Western interests?

As the US-Iran ceasefire deadline nears, the sharp exchange of words between Jerusalem and Ankara shows a new divide in the Middle East.

Whether this stays as angry talk or leads to bigger problems will depend on what happens next in Syria, Iran talks, and how the United States handles its NATO ally.