Erdoğan warns Israel against ‘spreading blood and smoke’ in Middle East

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has issued a sharp rebuke to Israel’s current government, declaring that it must not be permitted to “spread the smell of gunpowder and blood” throughout the Middle East region. The statement, made on Saturday, comes amid heightened regional tensions and represents Turkey’s continued criticism of Israeli military operations.

Erdoğan suggested that recent diplomatic progress has brought relief to the international community. He appeared to reference the Islamabad Accord between Washington and Tehran as a positive development, stating that “the world has breathed a sigh of relief” following this agreement.

The Turkish leader emphasised that any sustainable regional solution must be grounded in the involvement and consent of Middle Eastern states themselves. “Any solution that is not based on regional countries will not be sustainable, and no solution will endure if it is made outside the will and without the contribution of regional nations,” he stated, underlining Turkey’s position that external powers should not impose settlements on the region.

Turkey, as a major regional power and NATO member, has long positioned itself as an advocate for Palestinian causes whilst maintaining complex diplomatic relationships with both Western powers and Middle Eastern states. Erdoğan’s comments reflect Turkey’s broader foreign policy approach of asserting its influence in regional affairs.

Source: Walla News — Original article in Hebrew.