Turkey accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of hypocrisy after he warned against regional powers seeking to “reestablish their empires” during a trilateral summit in Jerusalem with the leaders of Greece and Cyprus, a gathering that highlighted deepening coordination among three eastern Mediterranean partners whose relations with Ankara have long been fraught.
Burhanettin Duran, head of Türkiye’s Presidency Communications Directorate, said it was “ironic” for Israeli leaders to lecture others about imperial ambitions while, in Ankara’s view, Israel is committing grave crimes in the region. “It is ironic for Israeli leaders to speak about the imperial ambitions of others in this region while they have just committed one of the worst genocides in history,” Duran wrote on X on Tuesday, December 23, 2025, using language that reflects Turkey’s increasingly confrontational official rhetoric toward Israel since the Gaza war.
Netanyahu made the remarks on Monday, December 22, 2025, standing alongside Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides at the latest in a series of Israel–Greece–Cyprus trilateral meetings. In comments widely interpreted as aimed at Turkey, Netanyahu said those who “fantasize they can reestablish their empires and their dominion over our lands” should “forget it,” adding that the three countries’ cooperation enhances their ability to defend themselves.
The Times of Israel reported that the leaders signed a joint declaration pledging to reinforce trilateral cooperation on security, defense and maritime matters—areas that Ankara has repeatedly criticized as an attempt to “encircle” Turkey in the eastern Mediterranean.
The summit also followed recent reports in Israeli and Greek media about exploratory talks on a rapid-response crisis mechanism among the three countries, though Israeli officials have suggested no finalized framework has been publicly agreed.
Gaza war backdrop and Turkey–Israel rupture
Turkey–Israel ties have deteriorated sharply since the Gaza war erupted after Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel. Ankara has accused Israel of genocide and pursued legal and diplomatic steps against the Netanyahu government, while Israel rejects the charge.
The humanitarian toll in Gaza has remained a central driver of Ankara’s rhetoric. On November 29, 2025, Gaza’s Health Ministry said the number of people confirmed killed in Israel’s offensive had passed 70,000—a figure Israel has questioned while the United Nations has said the ministry’s statistics are broadly credible.
Turkey has also announced escalating restrictions against Israel over time, including a halt to direct trade (announced in 2024) and additional measures affecting airspace and ports in 2025.
Eastern Mediterranean fault lines
Beyond Gaza, the Netanyahu remarks landed in a regional context where Turkey’s disputes with Greece and Cyprus frequently flare over maritime boundaries, energy exploration, and airspace claims. Cyprus has remained divided since 1974, with Turkey backing the Turkish Cypriot-administered north—recognized only by Ankara—while the internationally recognized Republic of Cyprus governs the south.
Duran, echoing a long-running Turkish position, portrayed Israel as a destabilizing actor while casting Turkey under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as a force for stability—language that underscores how Ankara frames the Israel–Greece–Cyprus alignment as both a strategic and narrative challenge in the eastern Mediterranean.
Rhetoric vs. policy debate inside Turkey
Even as Erdoğan has positioned himself as one of Israel’s most outspoken critics, Turkey’s Gaza policy has drawn scrutiny at home. Critics have alleged that trade continued indirectly through third countries despite Ankara’s declared halt—claims Turkish authorities have disputed, insisting that direct trade stopped and rejecting allegations of ongoing shipments.
Duran signaled that Netanyahu’s remarks would not shift Ankara’s stance, saying Turkey would continue backing Palestinians and those seeking peace and stability in the region
