Türkiye responded to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s remarks at the UN General Assembly through a third secretary at its New York mission.
The diplomat exercised Türkiye’s right of reply during the 81st UN General Assembly, rejecting what Ankara called “baseless and malicious” accusations directed at Türkiye and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Ankara's choice of speaker goes on to show that Turkiye gave a notably lower diplomatic profile to its official response at the UN while still putting the country's position on the record.
Ankara sends its message through junior diplomat
The Turkish statement strongly rejected Netanyahu’s allegations and criticised his policies toward the Palestinians.
It also highlighted the fact that numerous delegations left the General Assembly chamber during Netanyahu’s speech, describing the walkout as a form of diplomatic condemnation.
“The message is clear,” the statement said, arguing that Netanyahu’s words had lost credibility internationally and that his policies were being rejected.
The Turkish response further accused Tel Aviv of continuing military offensive and blockade on humanitarian assistance in Gaza and of expanding illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.
Türkiye reiterates two-state position
Despite the sharply worded response, Ankara focused its stated diplomatic position on a political settlement, reaffirming support for the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders, with occupied East Jerusalem as its capital.
The statement said Türkiye would continue to support the Palestinian people and the two-state solution, which it described as the viable path toward lasting peace.
The exchange came during a UN General Assembly session dominated by the Is and wider disputes over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with several delegations leaving the chamber during Netanyahu’s address.
By assigning the formal rebuttal to a third secretary, Türkiye placed its response on the official UN record while delivering it through one of the more junior diplomatic ranks at its mission in New York.
