Israel's reaction to Erdoğan on 'Hamas': We will not take lectures on human rights from Erdoğan

AKP Chairman and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's remarks that "Hamas is not a terrorist organization, but a liberation and mujahideen group" continue to draw reactions from Israeli politicians. Most recently, former Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid responded, calling it "a disgrace for Turkey."

Speaking to the Greek state television ERT, Lapid said, "We will not take lectures or instructions on human rights from Erdoğan. The fact that he stands with Hamas, a terrorist organization that kills innocent people, is a disgrace for Turkey and, of course, has caused a crisis between Israel and Turkey that will take a long time to repair."

Lapid argued that "the Iran-Turkey axis is trying to destabilize a wider region in close cooperation with its proxies" and that it is "playing on emotions in a way that will bring nothing but pain and destruction to the Middle East."

WHAT DID ERDOĞAN SAY?

Erdoğan made his harshest statement against Israel since October 7 at his party AKP's Parliamentary Group Meeting, saying, "Oh Israel, you may be an organization because the West owes you a lot. But Turkey does not owe you anything. The West sees Hamas as a terrorist organization. Hamas is not a terrorist organization, but a liberation and mujahideen group trying to protect its lands." While announcing that he had canceled his planned visit to Israel, it was also alleged that Ankara had suspended energy cooperation with Tel Aviv.