Turkish President Accuses Israel of "State Terrorism" Against Palestinians

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan once again sharply criticized Israel over its treatment of Palestinians, accusing the country of practicing “state terrorism” in his address to the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Speaking on Tuesday, Erdoğan stated, “Gaza is the most inhumane and shameful concentration camp of our era,” holding Israel responsible for the deaths of tens of thousands of Palestinians. He called on the international community to exert greater pressure on Israel.

Relations between the two countries have been tense for years and have deteriorated further due to the war in Gaza between Israel and the Palestinian Islamic movement Hamas. A formal ceasefire has been in place since October 2025, but deadly violence continues there. Erdoğan’s government maintains ties with Hamas.

In a separate address, Jordanian King Abdullah II also accused Israel of committing serious violations of international law in its conflict with Palestinians, stating that Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip were “an attempt to extinguish Palestinian life and impose a new reality on the ground.”

Abdullah said that Gaza represents “one of the longest occupations in the world,” asking, “If international law can be ignored for decades, what exactly is the value of this law?”

The King also noted a fundamental shift in Israel’s approach in the West Bank.

He added, “What was considered a creeping process has exploded into something far more aggressive.” Abdullah II spoke of “forced displacement” in the West Bank by Israel, which he said constitutes a war crime.

He stated that the international community is content with merely “managing” the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians rather than addressing it.

The King said, “We have tools: sanctions, asset freezes, embargoes, and diplomatic isolation, and we have used them elsewhere. But with Israel, decisions end where they began – on paper.”

A significant portion of Jordan’s population is of Palestinian descent, including Queen Rania. Jordan signed a peace treaty with Israel in 1994, becoming the second Arab state after Egypt to officially recognize Israel.