Netanyahu Slams Erdogan at UN, Defends Jerusalem's Status

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a strong address at the United Nations on September 25, 2026, directly criticizing Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Netanyahu characterized the Turkish leader as a "tyrant," citing widespread internal repression in Turkey and Ankara's "destructive actions" on the international stage.

Netanyahu highlighted Turkey's human rights record, stating that Turkish authorities lead the world in the number of arrested journalists and opposition leaders. He also referenced the treatment of the Kurdish civilian population and Turkey's official stance on historical events involving Armenians.

Addressing Turkey's foreign policy, Netanyahu condemned the "illegal occupation" of northern Cyprus, an EU member, and accused Ankara of regular provocations against NATO member Greece. He suggested Turkey's ambitions extend to controlling parts of Syria and noted alleged ties between Turkish leadership and radical organizations, specifically mentioning Hamas leaders finding refuge in Turkey and repeated calls from Ankara for Israel's destruction.

Concluding this segment of his speech, Netanyahu addressed recent Turkish statements concerning Jerusalem. He reaffirmed Jerusalem's status as the "eternal capital" of the Jewish state, asserting that its status is immutable and rejecting any external attempts to interfere with it. A tweet from Netanyahu's official account, featuring a video clip of his remarks, was captioned "My clear message to the dictator Erdogan."