Turkish Minister Sparks Anger in Israel with Claims of Liberating Jerusalem

Turkish Interior Minister Mustafa Ciftci has stated that Turkey will one day take control of Jerusalem, a declaration that has provoked a harsh response from Israeli officials.

As reported by the Middle East Monitor on Tuesday (9/6/2026), Ciftci made these remarks during a press conference for the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) in Turkey on Saturday (6/6) local time. “Just as we witnessed the liberation of Damascus and Aleppo, we, God willing, will witness the liberation of Jerusalem one day,” Ciftci remarked during the press conference in Corum Province.

“I still believe today that God will show us those days. He will surely show them to us. I have believed this from the bottom of my heart, and I still believe it. Just like in the past, these places will return to us once again,” he added. Ciftci further praised Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, stating that these territories would return under Turkish authority because of Erdogan’s global leadership calibre.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz issued a stern rebuttal to the Turkish Interior Minister’s statements. “I say to the Turkish Interior Minister, who threatens and dreams of controlling Jerusalem: Jerusalem is not Constantinople, and Israel is not a collapsing Crusader State. Israel is a strong and resolute nation that has proven its ability to defend itself against any threat,” Katz said in his statement.

Katz firmly rejected the comments, asserting that Jerusalem will remain the capital of Israel forever. “Jerusalem has been the capital of the Jewish people for 3,000 years and will remain the capital of Israel forever, while the Ottoman Empire that you and Erdogan dream of has collapsed and will never return,” he emphasised. He concluded by criticising the Turkish minister’s direction, stating, “It is very unfortunate that you have learned nothing from the legacy of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, who sought to make Turkey a modern nation. Instead, you are attempting to bring Turkey back to an era of darkness and decline.”