Türkiye’s communications director slams Netanyahu’s UN remarks on Erdoğan

Turkish presidential Communications Director Burhanettin Duran condemned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s remarks targeting President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at the UN, saying they cannot make the massacres in Gaza invisible.

Turkish presidential Communications Director Burhanettin Duran reacted to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s remarks targeting Türkiye and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in his speech to the UN General Assembly.

In his September 24 address, Netanyahu called Erdoğan a “tyrant” and leveled a series of accusations against Türkiye. “He says he will be the ruler of Jerusalem. No, sir, you won’t. It is our city,” Netanyahu said.

“Netanyahu, a perpetrator of genocide for whom the International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant over war crimes and crimes against humanity, using the UN podium for baseless accusations against Türkiye and our President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is incompatible with the ideals of peace, law and dialogue that the United Nations represents,” Duran said in a statement on X the same evening.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the UN General Assembly

“Netanyahu’s insolent and despicable words targeting our President cannot make his massacres, the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza and the processes before international law invisible. This is also seen by the international community, and Netanyahu has become more isolated than ever,” he said.

“Under the leadership of our President, Türkiye will continue to defend the rights of the oppressed, especially our Palestinian brothers and sisters, a more just world and peace, and to stand against injustice and oppression,” Duran added.

Dozens of delegates walked out of the General Assembly hall during Netanyahu’s speech.