Minister Katz threatens Erdogan: "Dragging Turkey into adventures in Syria, let him not test our determination"
Defense Minister Israel Katz threatened Turkish President Erdogan following the strike in Syria, saying he is dragging Turkey into dangerous adventures. Katz called on Erdogan to continue his empty speeches and not test Israel's determination to defend itself. The Prime Minister's Office took official responsibility for the strike, claiming that Syria was about to violate the security status quo by allowing Turkish forces to deploy at an airbase near Aleppo.
Defense Minister Israel Katz threatened this morning (Thursday) Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, following the Israeli strike in Syria. In a statement he published, Katz accused Erdogan of dragging Turkey into dangerous adventures in Syria, and called on him to continue his fantastical empty speeches in the Turkish parliament instead of testing Israel's determination to defend itself. The Prime Minister's Office officially took responsibility for the strike, explaining that it was carried out in light of the deployment of Turkish forces near the airbase in Aleppo. The statement said that Israel and Syria had agreed on maintaining a security status quo, which Syria was about to violate. Israel warned Syria repeatedly, but Syria chose to ignore. It was also reported that in the days leading up to the strike, senior Israeli officials conveyed a direct warning to their Syrian counterparts. Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir toured southern Syria and delivered a firm message that Israel would not allow hostile forces to establish themselves on its borders.