Turkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Saturday accused Israel of using security as a pretext to acquire “more land”.

“Israel is not after its own security. Israel is after more land. Security is being used by the Netanyahu government as an excuse to occupy more land,” Fidan told the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, referring to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Speaking in English at a panel discussion, Fidan said Israel had created an “illusion” internationally by portraying itself as acting purely in its own defence.

“It has become very clear, especially in recent years, that it is more than that,” he said.

From Palestinian lands including Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem, and now extending towards Lebanon and Syria, Israel was pursuing “an onward occupation and expansionism in the region,” Fidan said.

“I think this has to stop,” the Turkish FM added.

“Israel has to know that the only way to live peacefully in the region … is to let the other countries enjoy their own security, and territorial integrity, and freedom, not to use power on those countries,” he added.

Tensions between Turkiye and Israel have steadily escalated since the latter’s war on Gaza erupted following Hamas’s Oct 7, 2023 attacks.

Turkiye, a fierce critic of Israel, joined diplomatic efforts with Pakistan and Egypt aimed at de-escalation during the US-Israeli war on Iran.

Fidan’s remarks come just over a week after a harsh statement from Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu sparked a scathing response from the Turkish foreign ministry.

On April 11, Netanyahu sharply criticised Erdogan in a post on X and vowed Tel Aviv would continue to confront Tehran and its regional allies.

The Turkish foreign ministry then slammed Netanyahu, saying his remarks were a result of “the discomfort caused by the truths we have consistently voiced on every platform”.

“Netanyahu, who has been described as the Hitler of our time due to the crimes he has committed, is a well-known figure with a clear track record,” the ministry said in a statement.

On Monday, Fidan said Israel “cannot live without an enemy” and was “seeking to declare Turkiye the new enemy”.

“This is a new development in Israel… turning into a state strategy,” he had said.