Jerusalem, 12 April, 2026 (TPS-IL) — Israeli officials launched a wave of angry criticism against Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan after reports that Turkish prosecutors had filed sweeping indictments against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and dozens of senior Israeli figures, seeking prison sentences amounting to thousands of years.
The Turkish move, which reportedly includes accusations of genocide and crimes against humanity linked to Israel’s interception of a Gaza-bound flotilla in 2025, immediately triggered a fierce political response in Israel, with leaders accusing Erdogan of hypocrisy, provocation, and political theatre.
According to Turkish media reports, prosecutors in Istanbul are seeking as much as 4,596 years in prison for 36 Israeli officials, including Netanyahu, Defense Minister Israel Katz, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, and senior military commanders. The case centers on Israel’s interception of the so-called Sumud flotilla, which was attempting to reach Gaza in October 2025 and was stopped by Israeli naval forces in international waters.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded directly to Erdogan in a post on X, framing the Turkish president as morally discredited and accusing him of violence against Kurds while criticizing Israel.
“Israel under my leadership will continue to fight Iran’s terror regime and its proxies, unlike Erdogan who accommodates them and massacred his own Kurdish citizens,” Netanyahu wrote.
Defense Minister Israel Katz dismissed the Turkish legal action as political theatre.
Katz called Erdogan a “paper tiger,” arguing that he projects strength rhetorically while failing to respond decisively to regional threats. He also linked the Turkish leader to the Muslim Brotherhood and accused him of using legal proceedings to target Israel.
“Erdogan, who did not respond to missile fire from Iran into Turkish territory and has proven to be a paper tiger, is now fleeing into the realm of antisemitism and calling for show trials in Turkey against Israel’s political and military leadership,” Katz said.
He added, “What an absurdity. A man of the Muslim Brotherhood, who massacred the Kurds, accuses Israel — defending itself against his Hamas allies — of genocide. Israel will continue to defend itself with strength and determination — and he would do well to remain silent.”
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir posted a brief message directed at Erdogan that quickly drew attention for its profanity and lack of diplomatic restraint.
“Erdogan, do you understand English?” he wrote before adding, in English, “Fuck You.”
Turkey’s Foreign Ministry swiftly responded, escalating the exchange further by condemning Israeli leaders’ remarks and accusing Netanyahu himself of responsibility for atrocities.
In its statement, the ministry described Netanyahu as “the Hitler of our time,” adding that Israel’s accusations against Turkey reflected discomfort with international criticism. It also said Ankara would continue to advocate for Palestinians and pursue accountability for Israeli actions in Gaza.
The Sumud flotilla, which carried activists from multiple countries and dozens of vessels, was intercepted by Israeli forces, who detained more than 400 participants before deporting them. Among those briefly held was Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg.
Documents found by Israeli soldiers in Gaza traced direct Hamas involvement in organizing and financing the Sumud flotilla to break the Israeli blockade of the Strip. Israel said the boats carried no aid and accused participants of seeking confrontation rather than delivering humanitarian relief.