Netanyahu to Erdogan: "Calm down, the Ottomans are over - Today it is Israel"

In an interview with Israel's Channel 14, Netanyahu called on Erdogan to "calm down," arguing that Ankara's stance is linked to the weakening of Tehran's influence in the region.

"What is happening in Turkey is a result of the weakening of Iran's power. Iran represents the extremist Shiite axis, while Turkey represents the axis of the Muslim Brotherhood, an equally extremist movement," he said.

Responding to the Turkish president's statements on Jerusalem and Israel, he noted:

"What Erdogan says, that he wants to destroy Israel and rule Jerusalem again, shows that he has forgotten that the 400 years of the Ottoman Empire are over. Today, there is a strong state here called Israel. There are the Israeli Armed Forces, there are the people of Israel and there is the government of Israel. It would be wise to calm down."

At the same time, he said that Israel will not tolerate threats to its existence.

"We will not allow anyone to threaten our existence. We will not allow anyone to threaten our security. And I think we have already proven what we are capable of doing," he stressed.

Netanyahu: “The pursuit of total victory over Iran never ends”

Most of the interview focused on Iran, with Netanyahu reiterating that the pursuit of “total victory” over Tehran and its allies remains a key goal of his government.

Asked if his commitment to “total victory” still stands, he replied:

“It never ends. If you want to live in the Middle East or in the world in general, you have to be very strong. And we are very strong. Israel is stronger than ever. We have removed threats and significantly weakened our adversaries. We still have work to do. We will take care of what is left of the Iranian axis.”

The Israeli prime minister claimed that in recent years Israel has achieved significant blows against Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran, while hinting that military operations have not been completed.

"As long as I am prime minister, Iran will not acquire nuclear weapons"

Regarding the possibility of a new military confrontation with Tehran, Netanyahu did not rule out any scenario.

When asked if there will be a new conflict with Iran, he answered laconically: "If necessary".

He even repeated one of his permanent commitments:

"As long as I am prime minister, Iran will not acquire nuclear weapons".

Netanyahu also referred to his contacts with Egypt regarding the military presence in Sinai, noting that he has already transmitted the Israeli positions to Cairo.

“I had discussions with the Egyptians and told them what I expect to happen. Some of it is already being implemented. It is simply a matter of respecting the agreements between us,” he said.