Israel and Turkey trade accusations as tensions widen over Syria and Gaza

Israel and Turkey trade accusations as tensions widen over Syria and Gaza Submitted by MEE staff on Sun, 04/12/2026 - 06:02 Netanyahu’s speech showing map without Palestinian West Bank adds to concerns over territorial claims Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends a press conference for international media in Jerusalem on 4 September 2024. REUTERS Off Tensions between Israel and Turkey escalated this week, as leaders from both nations exchanged pointed accusations, amid a deepening geopolitical rift centred on the ongoing war in Gaza and regional influence in Syria. In a post on X, Netanyahu accused Turkish President Erdogan of "massacring his own Kurdish citizens" and "accommodating Iran’s terror regime and its proxies".