Netanyahu says in an interview he does not seek confrontation with Türkiye but will not avoid one if Israel’s security requires it

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he does not want a confrontation with Türkiye but would not shy away from one if Israel’s security needs required it, while accusing Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of seeking conflict with Israel.

In an interview published Tuesday, Netanyahu said Erdoğan had spoken of Israel’s destruction and of Jerusalem as belonging to Türkiye, and accused him of imagining a return to the Ottoman era.

“We’re not in the 16th century when the Ottomans took over here and ruled it for 400 years,” Netanyahu said. “There’s this power here. It’s called the Jewish state in the Jewish homeland.”

Asked about the possibility of future preemptive strikes and a war with Türkiye, Netanyahu rejected the premise, saying: “No, no.” He later added: “I don’t seek confrontation, but I don’t shy away from it when Israel’s security needs require it.”

Netanyahu also said Iran remained a threat to the U.S., arguing that American cities could eventually be targeted and saying President Donald Trump understood that the danger had to be removed.

On the Palestinians, Netanyahu said he had been blocking the creation of a Palestinian state and would continue to oppose one, arguing that such a state would threaten Israel’s existence.

He also described Europe as “the lost continent,” said Israel needed greater independence in arms and energy to reduce its vulnerability to outside pressure, and argued that former U.S. President Joe Biden had supported Israel personally but yielded to pressure from within the Democratic Party.