Ankara chides Israeli officials over comments against Erdoğan, UN

The Turkish Foreign Ministry has criticized statements from some Israeli officials targeting President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres who have been expressing their views about the intensified Israeli military offensive against Gaza and Palestinian civilians.

"We absolutely reject the slander and unfounded allegations of some Israeli officials. The efforts of some Israeli officials, who cannot even tolerate the truth and facts being expressed, to change the agenda with distortions and slander in the hope of covering up the brutal massacre targeting Palestinian civilians in Gaza will not yield results," read the statement issued by the ministry late on Oct. 28.

Targeting President Erdoğan, Secretary-General Guterres and the U.N. by the Israeli officials is a clear indication of their impotence, read the statement, reiterating that a crime against humanity is being committed in front of the whole world.

"We reject the baseless accusations of anti-Semitism, and the slander and insults against our President and our country. It is known to everyone that, Türkiye's track record on this issue is spotless - unlike many countries that support Israel unconditionally today," said the statement.

Türkiye has been a safe haven for all those who were oppressed through history, including the Jews, recalled the ministry, repeating its calls for ceasefire. "We urgently call on the Israeli authorities to heed the calls for ceasefire and peace in order to end this barbarism that aims to completely destroy the people of Gaza," it added.