# Turkey-Israel diplomatic tensions

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/20260926-turkey-israel-diplomatic-tensions
> Updated: 2026-09-26T13:11:56.000Z. Sources: 16. Developments: 2.

Diplomatic tensions between Turkey and Israel escalated following accusations made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the United Nations General Assembly. Netanyahu characterized Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as a “tyrant” and accused Turkey of harboring Hamas leaders and spreading “antisemitic lies.”

Turkish presidential communications director Burhanettin Duran rejected these claims as “without foundation,” arguing they contradict UN principles and distract from the humanitarian situation in Gaza. 

In subsequent remarks at the MUSIAD EXPO and International Business Forum in Istanbul, President Erdogan asserted that “war criminals do not belong at the UN podium, but in courts” to answer for their actions. Erdogan emphasized that unless perpetrators of genocide are held accountable by law and history, similar atrocities will repeat. He reaffirmed Turkey’s support for the Palestinian people, criticized the current global system for its lack of legitimacy, and condemned the “Zionist occupation mentality.”

During the same forum, Erdogan also addressed Turkey’s economic standing, noting the nation has experienced uninterrupted growth over the last 24 quarters. He identified Turkey as the 16th largest economy globally and the 6th largest in Europe, highlighting that the number of Turkish exporting companies has increased from 33,000 in 2002 to 168,000 in 2025.

## Claims

- War criminals belong in courtrooms rather than at the United Nations podium. (corroborated by 11 sources)
- Failure to hold perpetrators of genocide accountable before justice and history will lead to the repetition of atrocities. (corroborated by 11 sources)
- Turkey is currently the 16th largest economy in the world and the 6th largest in Europe. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- The number of Turkish exporting companies grew from 33,000 in 2002 to 168,000 in 2025. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Turkey of being a center for spreading anti-Semitic lies during a UN speech. (corroborated by 2 sources)

## Timeline

### 2026-09-26: Erdogan responds to Netanyahu's UN speech, calling for war criminals to face courts

Turkish President Erdogan responded to Benjamin Netanyahu's UN speech, stating that war criminals belong in court, not at the UN podium, while reaffirming support for Palestinians in Gaza.

12 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/erdogan-calls-for-war-criminals-to-face-justice-not-the-un

### 2026-09-25: Turkey rejects Netanyahu's UN accusations

Turkey has dismissed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s accusations at the UN as baseless, while President Erdogan stated that war criminals belong in court rather than at the UN podium.

4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/turkey-rejects-netanyahus-un-accusations

---
Cite as: Turkey-Israel diplomatic tensions. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/20260926-turkey-israel-diplomatic-tensions