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Türkiye’s Foreign Ministry on Wednesday condemned a statement by Israel’s Foreign Ministry aimed at President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. It called the Israeli remarks “vile and insolent slander” and the latest example of Israeli officials’ “futile efforts” to conceal the truth.
The Turkish ministry issued the response in a written statement, numbered 218 and dated Nov. 11, 2026. The statement did not describe what the Israeli ministry had said about Erdogan.
The Turkish statement tied the exchange to Erdogan’s address earlier the same day at the opening of the COP31 Leaders Summit. In that speech, the ministry said, he again brought what it called Israel’s “systematic policies of oppression” to the world’s attention. It said he voiced feelings and thoughts that “resonate in the common conscience of humanity.”
COP31 is the 2026 edition of the annual United Nations climate conference. Türkiye is hosting and presiding over this year’s meeting in the Mediterranean city of Antalya.
The ministry closed its statement with a pledge of continued support for Palestinians. “As Türkiye, we will continue to stand with all the oppressed who are the target of Israel’s aggressive policies, first and foremost the Palestinians,” it said.
The exchange adds to the tension between Ankara and Israel. Relations have worsened sharply since the war in Gaza began in October 2023, with Erdogan among the most vocal critics of Israeli military operations there. Israel has rejected such criticism in the past. The material provided does not say whether Israel has responded to Wednesday’s Turkish statement.
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