Netanyahu Singularly Responsible for Middle East Tensions: Erdogan

Last Updated on April 17, 2024 3:44 am

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government are solely responsible for the recent escalation of tensions in the Middle East.

The Turkish president said this at a press conference in Ankara after the cabinet meeting on Tuesday (April 16).

Al Jazeera reported this information.

Erdoğan said that Israel is trying to provoke regional conflict. The deadly attack on the Iranian embassy in Damascus, Syria was part of their plan.

The Turkish leader said that as long as Israel’s “cruelty and genocide” in Gaza continues, new regional tensions will rise.

He criticized the West for condemning Iran’s attack on Israel. Erdoğan said that the West was silent when Israel attacked the Iranian embassy in Syria.

Meanwhile, after Tehran’s drone and missile attack on Israel, Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke with Iranian President Ibrahim Raisi.

Iranian President Raisi called Russian President Putin on Tuesday (April 16) afternoon. He called Putin to discuss the situation after the attack on Israel. At this time, Raisi said, he does not want another war.

After speaking with Raisi, Putin expressed hope that all sides would think logically and remain calm, the Kremlin said. No action or new war would lead to disastrous consequences for the Middle East.

On April 1, Israel launched a deadly missile attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus, the capital of Syria. 7 high-ranking officials including two commanders of the Revolutionary Guard were killed.

In response to that attack, Tehran launched an unprecedented attack targeting Israeli territory on Saturday (April 13) night. Yemen’s pro-Iranian armed group, the Houthis, joined them in the attack. After that, it is known that the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah launched a rocket attack on Israel.