FM Sa’ar slams ‘anti-semitic dictator Erdoğan’ after Turkish president wishes: ‘May Allah destroy Zionist Israel’

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar slammed Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Sunday, after the president expressed a desire for Israel’s destruction during a Ramadan prayer event.

The two countries had already sparred over the weekend following Turkey's criticism of Israel’s airstrikes in Lebanon, which were carried out in response to rocket attacks on Israeli territory.

After visiting a mosque to mark the holiday of Eid al-Fitr, which celebrates the end of the holy month of Ramadan, Erdoğan told the crowd, “We see what is happening in Palestine. May Allah destroy Zionist Israel in his holy name.”

“We must see what is happening there, and therefore, we must unite, be strong, and be brothers here. May Allah always strengthen our unity.”

In response, Sa’ar wrote on 𝕏 that “dictator” Erdoğan had now “revealed his anti-Semitic face.”

“Erdogan is dangerous to the region, as well as to his own people, as has been proven in recent days. Let's hope that the NATO members understand this, and preferably, one hour earlier,” the foreign minister wrote.

This exchange followed a clash between the countries’ foreign ministries over the weekend. On Friday, two rockets were launched toward northern Israel from Lebanese territory.

Despite the Hezbollah terror group denying responsibility, Israel struck several targets, including in the capital, Beirut, an action that garnered criticism from Lebanon, France, the United Nations and Turkey.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry condemned the strikes, saying they were “in violation of the ceasefire agreement” between Israel and Lebanon. However, the terms of the ceasefire required Hezbollah to fully withdraw from southern Lebanon and granted Israel the right to take unilateral action in response to serious violations of the agreement.

“These attacks have once again exposed Israel's flagrant disregard for international law and its ongoing threat to the region's security and stability. The international community must stand united against Israel's efforts to create a perpetual state of conflict in the region,” the Turkish statement read.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry, in turn, attacked Erdoğan on Saturday, noting the hypocrisy of preaching “lofty values to the international community” while he is “violently suppressing his own citizens and carrying out mass arrests of political opponents.”

Over the past week, Turkey saw mass protests after an Istanbul court ordered the arrest of Ekrem Imamoglu, the city's mayor and Erdoğan's main political rival.

“In Erdogan’s Turkey, there is no justice, no law, and no freedom. Israel does not need Erdogan’s ridiculous moral sermons. Israel acts to defend itself and its citizens against real threats and actual attacks – and it will continue to do so,” the Foreign Ministry stated.