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Senior Turkish officials from across the government and ruling party condemned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after he posted on X targeting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday.
Turkish Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmus, Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz, multiple ministers, and senior ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party officials all issued sharp rejections of Netanyahu's remarks.
In a post on X on Saturday, April 11, Netanyahu wrote: "Israel under my leadership will continue to fight Iran's terror regime and its proxies, unlike Erdogan who accommodates them and massacred his own Kurdish citizens."
Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmus issued one of the sharpest responses.
"The audacity of a person whose hands are stained with children's blood, who is being pursued by international law, to lecture Türkiye on morality, is merely an indication of his attempt to cover up his own crimes against humanity, and is null and void," Kurtulmus said in his statement on X.
"The brazen remarks by Netanyahu, the ringleader terrorist of the 21st century's massacre and terror network, directed at our esteemed President, are a clear manifestation of a guilt complex," he noted.
Türkiye's ruling AK Party Deputy Chair and Spokesman Omer Celik stated that Netanyahu's targeting of Erdogan revealed the depth of the Israeli leader's discomfort with Türkiye's peace diplomacy.
"Netanyahu's constant targeting of our President is a medal of honor for our President," Celik said, adding that Netanyahu's post was designed to sabotage the peace talks in Pakistan.
"One of the layers is that they are targeting our President, who is the greatest supporter of peace, to sabotage the critical peace talks in Pakistan," he said.
Celik also called for political unity by stating, "We believe that all elements of Turkish politics, whether ruling or opposition, will stand united against this gang of massacres that uses these immoral expressions and give them the response they deserve."
"Standing as one body against such brazen external attacks is a national responsibility," he added.
In a separate written statement, Celik outlined what he described as five layers behind Netanyahu's attack:
He noted that Kurdish communities in Iraq and Iran had "stood on the right side of history" by not aligning with what he called the Zionist plan.
Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz stated that Netanyahu's statements toward Erdogan were "an expression of his discomfort at the revelation of truths and of his guilt psychology, and are null and void."
He added that the mindset "setting our region on fire and threatening global stability has long been condemned in the conscience of humanity."
Justice Minister Akin Gurlek said Netanyahu's remarks were "never acceptable," noting that "a person against whom an arrest warrant has been issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) targeting Türkiye and our President clearly reveals the depth of his legal and moral impasse."
Interior Minister Mustafa Ciftci called Netanyahu's remarks "unfounded accusations" that were "a clear sign of his desperation and political exhaustion," adding that a person facing international judicial proceedings "has no legitimacy to speak in the name of truth, justice and humanity."
Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy said Netanyahu's "reality-distorting rhetoric is nothing but an attempt to cover up his crimes."
Family Minister Mahinur Ozdemir Goktas described Netanyahu as "the main actor of the genocide in Gaza, the black stain of human history."
Labor Minister Vedat Isikhan said Netanyahu's "arrogant statements cannot change the truth."
AK Party Deputy Chairs Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya, Zafer Sirakaya, Hayati Yazici, Huseyin Yayman, Ahmet Baha Ogutken, Mustafa Demir and Ahmet Buyukgumus all issued separate condemnations on social media, each accusing Netanyahu of attempting to deflect from war crimes and genocide.
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