President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s recent assertion that Israel could target Turkey has faced sharp criticism from commentators spanning different ideological lines, including military officials, opposition leaders, and Kurdish representatives. Many argue that the claim is a political tactic meant to deflect attention from Turkey’s domestic struggles.
Retired Rear Admiral Türker Ertürk criticised Erdoğan’s remarks as “nonsense,” highlighting Israel’s view of Erdoğan as a “friend disguised as a foe.” He added, “Israel has secured its most important gains through him. There’s no need for further discussion on this.”
Kurdish leader and KCK co-chair Besê Hozat also dismissed the idea of an Israeli threat to Turkey. “This is just a tactic to manipulate Turkey’s internal politics,” Hozat stated. She emphasised that Turkey’s real fear is the Kurdish population, not Israel. “Turkey’s so-called concern about an Israeli threat is a distraction from the fact that it is losing ground in its domestic and regional policies, especially regarding the Kurds,” she explained.
Independent journalist Metin Cihan further criticised Erdoğan’s narrative, revealing that Turkey has continued to supply steel to the Israeli military, even disguising the exports as aid to Palestine. “Despite all the rhetoric, we’re still supplying Israel’s army with steel. This is clearly just a political manoeuvre,” he said.
Journalist Aylin Ozinian offered a cynical perspective, suggesting that the Turkish government’s statements might be politically motivated. She implied that the government could be seeking to create a distraction by exaggerating external threats. “It’s like they are urgently looking for a country to pretend is about to attack us. Things are going so badly, and this supposed war risk would be a convenient remedy,” Ozinian remarked, highlighting her scepticism toward Erdoğan’s assertion of an impending Israeli threat.
Erdoğan’s claims were made during a speech to parliament on 1 October, where he warned that Israel’s aggression in Gaza and Lebanon could extend to Turkey. Turkish opposition figures have accused him of fear-mongering to shift focus away from pressing issues such as poverty and the economic crisis. Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Özgür Özel responded by saying, “This is clearly an attempt to distract from the real problems we face… No one should expect us to be silenced by claims of an Israeli threat while avoiding discussions on poverty, pensions, wages, earthquake victims, farmers and workers. We will hold them accountable.” Özel also warned, “If this session doesn’t present concrete evidence, we will expose what’s really happening.”
