AK Party and DEM Party clash over Netanyahu reference

A political dispute has erupted between the AK Party and the DEM Party following comments made by DEM Party Co-Chair Tülay Hatimoğulları. During a television program, Hatimoğulları suggested that the Kurdish issue in Turkey limits the country's ability to effectively influence regional peace, citing an example where Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly countered calls to stop the occupation of Palestine by referencing the treatment of Kurds.

AK Party Spokesperson Ömer Çelik issued a sharp rebuke, labeling Hatimoğulları's remarks as “unjust and baseless.” He specifically condemned her use of Netanyahu's words as a reference, calling such an approach “shameful” and demanding a correction. Çelik emphasized that the Turkish government and the AK Party remain among the strongest voices against the Israeli occupation of Palestine.

In response, DEM Party Spokesperson Ayşegül Doğan stated that Hatimoğulları's comments were taken out of context. She asserted that the party's stance against the occupation in Palestine is “unquestionably clear” and argued that the Kurdish issue is often used by regional and global powers to undermine Turkey's social peace. Additionally, BBP Leader Mustafa Destici criticized the remarks, describing them as “treasonous” and reiterating that there can be no negotiation with terrorism.