Erdogan: “God Punish the Tyrant Netanyahu”
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called on God to punish Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday, making the remarks publicly right after morning prayers during the Eid al-Adha holiday.
"I wish that God will soon do something so that the tyrant called Netanyahu receives the lesson he deserves before the Muslims of the entire world," Erdogan said, according to SKAI correspondent Manolis Kostidis reporting from Istanbul. He added that he hopes "all Muslims, including us Turks, will see this soon."
"I wish that God will soon do something so that the tyrant called Netanyahu receives the lesson he deserves before the Muslims of the entire world" — Erdogan
Erdogan pushed even further, saying he hopes "4 to 5 million Muslims will all experience this together." The remarks came on one of the most significant days in the Islamic calendar, immediately following the morning prayer ceremony.
The Turkish president has steadily escalated his rhetoric against the Israeli government over the course of the war in Gaza. Wednesday's statements are among the most religiously charged he has directed personally at Netanyahu, framing his wishes in explicitly divine terms before a large public audience on a major religious holiday.
Ankara suspended trade with Israel in May 2024 and has repeatedly called for an end to Israeli military operations in Gaza. Erdogan has positioned Turkey as a leading voice among Muslim-majority nations opposing Israel's conduct in the conflict.
