Rising Antisemitic Rhetoric from Turkish Leaders Amid NATO Summit

At the NATO summit in Ankara, key topics include Iran, Russia’s war with Ukraine, and NATO defense spending. Yet, rising antisemitic remarks from Turkish officials have not gained much media attention.

Relations between Turkey and Israel are worsening, leading to tense verbal exchanges. In a July 2 interview with CNN Türk, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan described Israel as “a burden that humanity can no longer bear,” according to The Jerusalem Post. He also labeled Israel as a symbol of “humanity’s common problems” and urged other nations to pressure Israel, as reported by Israel National News.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar criticized Fidan’s remarks, calling them “a clear call for genocide.” Sa’ar stressed that such language initiates the path to genocide, recalling similar statements from about a century ago.

Sinan Ciddi, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, called Fidan’s comments “some of the vilest rhetoric” since the Holocaust. Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan, despite condemning antisemitism, has also made strong anti-Israel statements.

Erdoğan has said in the past that antisemitism is a crime, likening it to Islamophobia. However, his administration’s stance on Israel remains antagonistic. Turkish Interior Minister Mustafa Çiftçi echoed this sentiment by anticipating the “liberation of Jerusalem,” as reported by The Times of Israel.

In prior statements, Erdoğan accused Israelis of being “murderers” and described Israel as “a terror state,” as covered by multiple news outlets. A Pew Research poll indicated widespread anti-Israel sentiment in Turkey, with 91% harboring “very unfavorable” opinions of Israel.

The State Department recognizes Turkey as a significant NATO ally and engages with Turkey on various aspects of their relationship. Sinan Ciddi suggests that the U.S. has several diplomatic channels to address the Turkish leadership’s antisemitic rhetoric.

As the NATO summit concludes, attention remains on Turkey’s human rights record. Analysts warn against allowing Turkey to overshadow critical discussions and emphasize holding Turkey accountable for its leaders’ statements.