The Turkish government publicly denounced Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for allegedly pursuing "expansionist and destabilizing policies" after Israel launched airstrikes on a Syrian airbase this week.Netanyahu's office took responsibility for the Tuesday morning strike on the Abu al-Duhur airbase the next day, saying Syria was on the verge of breaching a security agreement by allowing Turkish troops to deploy from the base, which is near Aleppo."Israel repeatedly warned Syria that such a deployment would pose a threat to Israel's security," Netanyahu's office said Tuesday night."Syria chose to ignore these warnings.
Israel will not tolerate threats to its security, and would welcome a return to the status quo."On Wednesday, Turkey called these allegations from Israel "untenable," arguing that they are intended to legitimize Israel’s unlawful airstrikes targeting Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity."Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks after casting his ballot in the Likud party primary elections ahead of Israel's general election in October, in Jerusalem on Aug.17, 2026.
(AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg, Pool)CRITICS SAY TURKEY'S VERBAL ATTACKS ON ISRAEL HAVE CROSSED INTO ANTISEMITISM"The imputations voiced stem from Netanyahu’s intent to pursue expansionist and destabilizing policies in the region ahead of the elections in Israel," Turkey's government said in a social media post."Türkiye, like the vast majority of the international community, stands for the consolidation of lasting peace in our region.The sole path to this objective lies in Netanyahu’s abandonment of his aggressive and coercive policies and in his respect for international law," it continued."Türkiye will resolutely continue to cooperate with the Syrian Government on a legitimate basis for the establishment of peace, stability, and prosperity in Syria, and will never allow the destabilization of Syria," the statement concluded.Decommissioned Syrian air force ...