Turkey’s President Erdogan threatens to send forces into Israel – vowing to be ‘very strong’ as he accuses Benjamin Netanyahu’s regime of doing ‘ridiculous things to Palestine’

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has threatened he might send forces into Israel as he accused Benjamin Netanyahu’s regime of doing ‘ridiculous things to Palestine’.

He said on Sunday his country might enter Israel as it had done in Libya and Nagorno-Karabakh, though stopped short of spelling out what sort of intervention he was suggesting.

President Erdogan, who has been a fierce critic of Israel’s offensive in Gaza, told a meeting of his AK Party: ‘We must be very strong so that Israel can’t do these ridiculous things to Palestine.

Just like we entered Karabakh, just like we entered Libya, we might do similar to them’.

In the televised address, Erdogan added: ‘There is no reason why we cannot do this… We must be strong so that we can take these steps.’

AK Party representatives did not respond to calls asking for more detail on Erdogan’s comments and Israel did not immediately make any comment.

The Turkish president’s comments appeared to be referring to past actions by Turkey.

In 2020, Turkey sent military personnel to Libya in support of the United Nations-recognised Government of National Accord of Libya.

Libyan Prime Minister Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah, who heads the Government of National Unity in Tripoli, is backed by Turkey.

Turkey has denied any direct role in Azerbaijan’s military operations in Nagorno-Karabakh, but said last year it was using ‘all means’, including military training and modernisation, to support its close ally.

Erdogan’s comments come after he previously called on the Islamic world to take action against Israel.

He said back in May: ‘I have some words to say to the Islamic world: what are you waiting for to take a common decision?’

‘Israel is not just a threat to Gaza but to all of humanity,’ he said.

‘No state is safe as long as Israel does not follow international law and does not feel bound by international law,’ Erdogan added, repeating an accusation that Israel is committing ‘genocide’ in Gaza.

He also called Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu a ‘vampire’ and accused him of killing ‘innocent civilians in their tents’.

Turkey has also suspended all trade with Israel over its ongoing offensive in Gaza.

The Turkish Trade Ministry said exports and imports had abruptly ‘stopped’ at the beginning of May, and that the measures would remain until Israel allows what it deems ‘an uninterrupted and sufficient flow of humanitarian aid’ into the beleaguered Strip.

Turkish officials added in their declaration that they would work with the relevant Palestinian authorities to ensure Palestinians are not affected by the suspension.

The move was met with furious backlash from Israel’s foreign minister, who accused Turkey of blocking Israeli imports and exports from Turkish ports.

The Turkish president ‘is breaking agreements by blocking ports for Israeli imports and exports,’ Katz wrote on the social platform X.

Erdogan’s government, which suffered major setbacks in local elections in March, had been faced with intense pressure at home to halt trade with Israel.

Turkey and Israel had a trade volume of $6.8billion in 2023. The two countries had finally normalised ties after years of tensions by appointing ambassadors in 2022.

But the war in Gaza has seen relations spiral in recent months with President Erdogan calling Israel a ‘terror state’ and introducing trade restrictions expected to hurt Israel’s economy – a move matched in kind by Israel.