Escalation Between Israel and Turkey: Sharp Rhetorical Confrontation
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded with harsh words to aggressive remarks by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, essentially telling the Turkish president that the Ottoman Empire is over and Israel is now strong. Erdogan in turn responded sharply to accusations by calling Israel a 'criminal gang' responsible for 73,000 dead civilians in Gaza, predominantly women and children. The dispute underscores deep estrangement between the two countries.