Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused Israel of inciting minorities and fueling divisions in Syria and of “genocide” in Gaza during his Friday speech at the Fourth Antalya Diplomacy Forum.
His remarks came amid Israel-Turkey talks and marked Syria’s first official participation, with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa attending the forum.
Erdogan accused Israel of trying to destabilize post-Assad Syria by provoking ethnic and religious tensions and encouraging minorities to resist the new government.
At the same time, Erdogan said Turkey is working with global actors, including Trump and Putin, to preserve Syria’s territorial integrity and resolve the crisis.
Al-Sharaa's attendance marked Syria’s first official participation. Previous involvement was limited to opposition delegations.
Al-Sharaa’s visit, his second to Turkey since taking office, follows February’s historic trip—the first Syrian delegation to Ankara in 13 years.
Erdogan accused Israel of committing serious violations against Palestinians in Gaza, stating, "Israel has been openly carrying out genocide against the Palestinian people for the past one and a half years, violating the most basic human rights and international law."
He also claimed that "remaining silent about Israel's massacres is to be complicit in this crime," and described Israel’s military actions as "state terrorism," calling Israel a "terrorist state."
In his speech, Erdogan also said Turkey has a long-standing history of tolerance toward Jewish communities, saying, "500 years ago, we welcomed Israeli people, Jews, who were expelled from their lands. What Turkey was back then is the same today."
Antalya Diplomacy Forum 2025
The Antalya Diplomacy Forum is an annual conference that was established in 2020 and is dedicated to international diplomacy. It is held in Antalya, Turkey. Participants engage in over 50 sessions covering regional conflicts, climate change, counterterrorism, humanitarian aid, digitization, food security, and artificial intelligence.
The fourth Antalya Diplomacy Forum runs April 11–13, 2025, under the theme "Reclaiming Diplomacy in a Fragmented World," focusing on resolving global divisions and promoting regional cooperation.
This year’s forum includes over 20 heads of state, 70 ministers, and 4,000 attendees.
Israel-Turkey talks
Erdogan's accusations came during ongoing Israel-Turkey talks aimed at easing tensions in Syria through a mechanism to prevent conflict.
An Israeli delegation led by National Security Council head Tzachi Hanegbi and PM Netanyahu’s military secretary Roman Gofman met Turkish officials in Baku on Wednesday.
An Israeli official described the first round of Baku talks as positive but noted the process is still in the early stages.
Israel expressed concern over Turkey’s military buildup in Syria, particularly Turkish bases in Palmyra, which it sees as a red line. This has prompted Israeli strikes to push back Syrian forces.
Israel has told Turkey that any deployment of foreign forces, especially Turkish bases in Palmyra, would be seen as a serious breach.