Erdogan calls Zionism genocidal, sparking diplomatic row with Israel

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has ignited a severe diplomatic row with Israel by branding Zionism a "genocidal ideology" and invoking the Holocaust in a speech criticizing Israeli actions in Gaza, the West Bank, and Lebanon. The remarks, delivered in Istanbul on Friday, August 28, 2026, prompted a sharp condemnation from Israel, which accused Erdogan of antisemitic incitement, leading to a fiery exchange of accusations between the two nations. In his speech, which was held to mark the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad, Erdogan claimed that the "genocidal ideology known as Zionism targets everyone who defends humanitarian values.