Opposition leader Yair Lapid responded to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's accusation that Israel is a "terrorist country," citing the Turkish leader's own dismal human rights record.
“We won’t take lessons in morality from President Erdogan, a man with an appalling human rights record," Lapid wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
“Israel is defending itself against brutal terrorists from Hamas-ISIS, some of whom have been allowed to operate under Erdogan’s roof,” he added.
In a speech earlier today (Wednesday), Erdogan called the Hamas terrorist organization "resistance fighters."
“Israel is implementing a strategy of total destruction of a city and its people,” he said. “I say openly that Israel is a terrorist state.”
The Turkish President vowed to ensure that Israeli political and military leaders are tried in international tribunals.
Erdogan was been one of Israel's fiercest critics in the aftermath of the Hamas massacre of October 7 in which more than 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were brutally murdered. Under his leadership, Turkey has been a safe-haven for Hamas leaders.