Turkish President Erdogan: Israel Tries to Provoke Regional Conflict

JAKARTA - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan assesses that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israeli leadership are fully responsible for the recent increase in tensions in the Middle East.

"Israel is trying to provoke a regional conflict, and its attack on the Iranian embassy in Damascus was the latest attack," he said at a press conference in Ankara after Tuesday's cabinet meeting, as reported by Reuters, April 17.

He further said that new regional conflicts are possible as long as "atrocities and genocide" in Gaza continue, calling on all parties to act with common sense.

President Erdogan said that PM Netanyahu and his government were responsible for the Iranian airstrikes on April 13, but Western countries refused to admit this fact.

"The main culprit responsible for the tension that gripped our hearts on the night of April 13 is Netanyahu and his bloody government," he said, quoted by Daily Sabah.

Noting that the weekend attacks have exposed the West's double standards and the potential for war in the region, President Erdogan said it was important to identify the main reasons behind the April 13 attack.

He continued, not many countries reacted to Israel's attack, which completely ignored international law.

"Those who did not speak out against Israel's aggression for months, are now racing to condemn Iran's actions," criticized President Erdogan, adding they should denounce and criticize PM Netanyahu who is responsible for the killing of around 34,000 civilians in Gaza, including women, children -children and babies, as well as journalists.

"Fostering the flames, continuing to undermine, a Netanyahu government will not benefit anyone," he said

It is known that seven officials from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) were killed in an air attack on the Iranian Consulate in Damascus, Syria, including two senior generals, on April 1. Israel, which is said to be behind the attack, did not confirm or deny it.

In response, Iran launched airstrikes involving more than 300 drones and missiles last Saturday, causing minor damage in Israel and injuring a 7-year-old girl. Most of Iran's attacks were shot down by Israel's Iron Dome defense system and with help from the US, UK, France, and Jordan's air defense which emphasized that it would shoot down missiles and drones fired by anyone who crossed its airspace.