Turkey's foreign minister calls Israel a humanitarian burden, sparking Israeli accusation of genocide incitement

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Israel has become “a burden that humanity can no longer bear” and urged the international community to impose sanctions on Jerusalem. His comments came days after Israel formally recognized the 1915 Armenian genocide, a move condemned by Ankara, and followed a period of strained Turkey‑Israel relations since the Hamas attack on October 7.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar responded on X, labeling Fidan’s language as “textbook incitement to genocide” and urging NATO allies and other governments to denounce what he described as an explicit call for Israel’s erasure. The exchange heightens diplomatic tensions ahead of a NATO summit that Turkey is set to host in Ankara.

The dispute reflects broader regional frictions, with Turkey having earlier imposed a trade embargo on Israel and accusing it of expansionist policies, while Israel accuses Turkey of dehumanising the Jewish people.