Under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Turkey has shifted from rhetorical hostility to Israel to an aggressive campaign of incitement, destabilizing the region and endangering its own Jewish citizens. In 2025, anti-Israel sentiment escalated into street violence, legal persecution, and official policies that erase distinctions between Zionists, Israelis, and Jews. Jewish worshippers in Istanbul have faced attacks, and mass demonstrations have swept major cities, with the government stoking tensions through symbolic legal actions and inflammatory rhetoric.

Erdoğan's accusations against Israel on the world stage have fueled domestic antisemitism, leading to systemic discrimination and emboldening extremists. Turkey has severed diplomatic ties with Israel and aligned itself with Islamist actors, further isolating its Jewish community. Human rights monitors report that antisemitic incidents are now widespread and normalized, leaving Turkey's ancient Jewish population increasingly vulnerable.

The regime's ideological war on Israel has made Jewish identity suspect within Turkey, forcing its Jewish citizens to confront rising hostility and insecurity. As history has shown, when governments incite against Israel, Jews at home bear the consequences.