Israel has recalled its diplomats from Turkey, Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen said.

The recall follows a speech given on Saturday by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at a large pro-Palestinian rally in Istanbul.

Mr Erdoğan told the crowd of demonstrators, without naming a specific country, that Western governments are the main culprit behind the “massacre” in the besieged Gaza Strip.

“Given the grave statements coming from Turkey, I have ordered the return of diplomatic representatives there in order to conduct a re-evaluation of the relations between Israel and Turkey,” Mr Cohen wrote Saturday on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.

However, according to broadcaster NTV, the Israeli ambassador to Ankara, Irit Lillian, and other embassy staff had already left the country over a week ago.

The Turkish leader said, “Everyone knows that Israel is just a pawn in the region that will be sacrificed when the day comes.”

Mr Erdoğan accused Israel of “committing a war crime” and Western politicians of “legitimising” the actions against the Palestinian coastal strip.

“How many more children, women, and elderly need to die so that you can call for a ceasefire?” he said, wearing a scarf in the colours of Palestinian and Turkish flags.

Mr Erdoğan has hardened his tone against Israel this week.

He cancelled plans to visit Israel and called the Hamas militant group, which controls Gaza, freedom fighters, not terrorists.

Turkey has a historical duty to defend the rights of Palestinians, Mr Erdoğan said, urging Israel to keep the “door for dialogue” open.

Many experts believe Mr Erdoğan’s harsh rhetoric against Israel aims to defuse domestic anger in light of his proposed mediator role in negotiating with Hamas for the release of hostages. 

(dpa/NAN)