Israel seeks to declare Turkey 'new enemy'

ISTANBUL: Israel “cannot live without an enemy” and its government is now trying to portray Turkey as one, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Monday.

Tensions between Turkey and Israel have steadily escalated since the Gaza war erupted following Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack.

The dispute entered a new phase over the weekend after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned his US counterpart Donald Trump of “possible provocations and sabotage” that could jeopardise an initial ceasefire arrangement in the US-Israeli war on Iran.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed on Saturday that Israel would continue to confront Tehran and its regional allies.

“After Iran, Israel cannot live without an enemy,” Fidan said in a televised interview with the state‑run Anadolu news agency.

“We see that not only Netanyahu’s administration but also some figures in the opposition — though not all — are seeking to declare Turkey the new enemy,” he said.

“This is a new development in Israel… turning into a state strategy,” he added.