Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan accused Israel on Saturday of having “surpassed Hitler in barbarism” through its attacks on Gaza, but warned Turks against taking out their anger on the country’s Jewish community.
Erdogan continued to ratchet up his rhetoric against the Jewish State over its offensive, threatening to further harm the already badly frayed relations between the two countries who had once regional allies.
Hours earlier Israel advised its citizens against traveling to Turkey, citing “the public mood” after attacks on Israeli diplomatic missions during protests in Istanbul and Ankara against the Gaza offensive on Friday.
Palestinian officials say around 400 people have been killed by Israeli strikes launched in response to rockets fired into Israeli territory by militants loyal to the Islamist group Hamas.
“(Israelis) have no conscience, no honour, no pride. Those who condemn Hitler day and night have surpassed Hitler in barbarism,” Erdogan told supporters at a political rally in the Black Sea city of Ordu.