Israeli minister: Turkey should be treated as an ‘enemy state,’ could become Israel’s next major adversary

By Christine Douglass-Williams | May 21, 2026

Minister of Culture and Sports Miki Zohar.  Photo: Oren Cohen, Creative Commons

Given Israel and America’s war with Iran, it is unsettling to contemplate the ramifications of any confrontation with Turkey. This is precisely why it isn’t prudent to enable obvious enemies of the West to escalate tensions with states that are our allies in the first place. Turkey as a member of NATO is one such an example.

Consider the following headlines:

• Turkish journalist close to Erdogan: Turkey should become a nuclear power and consider nuking Israel
• Turkey: ‘Israel cannot live without hostility,’ warns Israel that it ‘may target it next’
• Turkish president Erdogan accuses Israel of ‘atrocities’ against Palestine and Lebanon, threatens to attack
• Russia, China, Turkey pushing for immediate end to war against Iran
• Is Turkey ‘the new Iran’? A top Israeli strategic analyst thinks so
• Top Israeli analyst warns about dire implications of Trump’s support of Turkish forces in Gaza
• Trump’s Jihadist ‘Board of Peace’

Miki Zohar is not off base in his comments about Turkey, since Turkey has been escalating its hostility with Israel for years under its Islamic supremacist President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

“Israeli minister says Turkey should be treated as ‘enemy state,’” by Mera Aladam, Middle East Eye, May 20, 2026:

The Israeli minister of culture and sports has said Turkey should be treated as an “enemy state”, warning it could become Israel’s next major adversary.

Speaking to Israeli news outlet Srugim on Monday, Miki Zohar made the remarks during a discussion about the Gaza-bound Global Sumud Flotilla, which sailed earlier this week from the Turkish port city of Marmaris and was later raided by Israeli forces.

“We must begin to treat Turkey as an enemy state,” Zohar said.

“If Turkey chooses the path of war with us, it will undoubtedly pay a very heavy price. Israel knows how to defend itself and how to harm those who harm it.”

The minister added that Ankara would “no doubt pay a huge price” if it went to war with Israel.

He also claimed that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had said he would build an army to conquer Israel. Although Erdogan has been a fierce and vocal critic of the Israeli government, he has not publicly declared any intention to go to war with Israel.

“There were Iranians who thought the same thing, and look where they are now. If the Turks think the same thing, they will be in a much worse situation,” Zohar said.

His comments came after Israeli forces intercepted several vessels in international waters after they departed from Turkey as part of the Gaza-bound aid flotilla mission….