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Turkey’s foreign minister sharply criticized Israel over the weekend, accusing it of using security concerns as a cover for territorial expansion, in remarks that reflect worsening tensions between the two countries.

Speaking at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in the Mediterranean resort city, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan alleged that Israel is pursuing broader ambitions beyond self-defense.

“Israel is not after its own security. Israel is after more land,” Fidan charged, adding, “Security is being used by the Netanyahu government as an excuse to occupy more land.”

Addressing a panel in English, Fidan argued that Israel has misrepresented its actions on the world stage.

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

He went on to claim that Israel’s activities—from Gaza, Judea and Samaria, and eastern Yerushalayim, to areas near Lebanon and Syria—reflect a pattern of continued expansion.

“I think this has to stop,” Fidan said.

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

Relations between Turkey and Israel had been improving prior to the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack, but have since deteriorated, with Turkish officials—particularly President Recep Tayyip Erdogan—repeatedly condemning Israeli actions.

In March of last year, Erdogan labeled Israel a “terror state” following Israeli strikes on Hamas-linked targets in Gaza.

Later, he described the government of Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu as a major destabilizing force in the Middle East.

In April 2024, Erdogan hosted then-Hamas political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh in Istanbul, months before Haniyeh was later killed in an Israeli operation.

Following that meeting, Erdogan emphasized the importance of unity among Palestinian factions, saying it was “vital” and adding, “The strongest response to Israel and the path to victory lie in unity and integrity.”

In subsequent weeks, Erdogan stated that over 1,000 Hamas members were receiving medical care in Turkish hospitals and objected to Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis referring to Hamas as a terrorist organization.

Tensions escalated further last week when Istanbul prosecutors filed a sweeping indictment against 35 senior Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, over the Israeli navy’s interception of the “Sumud” flotilla headed to Gaza in October.

The charges carry the possibility of severe penalties, including life sentences and additional cumulative prison terms totaling thousands of years.

Israel responded forcefully, with Defense Minister Yisroel Katz condemning the move and directing harsh criticism at Erdogan.

“Turkish President Erdogan, who did not respond to missile fire from Iran into Turkish territory and was revealed as a paper tiger, is fleeing to the realms of antisemitism and declaring field trials in Turkey against Israel’s political and military leadership,” Katz said.

He added, “What an absurdity. The Muslim Brotherhood man, who massacred Kurds, is accusing Israel of genocide for defending itself against his Hamas partners.”

“Israel will continue to defend itself with strength and determination – and he had better sit quietly and shut up.”

{Matzav.com}

Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie sharply criticized President Donald Trump’s handling of religious issues, saying the president lacks understanding of faith and describing recent remarks about Pope Leo as inappropriate.

Appearing Sunday on ABC’s “This Week,” Christie also took aim at Vice President JD Vance, suggesting his alignment with Trump on religious matters could carry political consequences.

Christie said, “This vice president, who is, you know, now a Catholic convert, early on in your Catholicism, taking on the pope probably isn’t the greatest thing in the world. But, you know, JD Vance is following, as he always does the lead of Donald Trump. He cannot get out from Donald Trump’s back. He cannot ever do anything that isn’t completely 110 percent supportive of what Trump says. But here’s the problem, he’s leading himself to a real, real political problem for himself. Donald Trump knows about as much about the Catholic Church as my phone does.”

He continued his criticism of the president’s familiarity with religion more broadly.

He continued, “This is a guy who knows nothing about religion, has no religious basis at all. Ramesh and I were speaking in the green room about the time when they asked him about which one he preferred, the New Testament or the Old Testament. He goes, well, I like them both. I like them both. You know, this is a guy who’s a fake. He’s a phony. And JD I have a little advice for you this morning, don’t be following a phony on issues of religion and taking on Pope Leo. The other complication here, Jon, is, this is the first American pope. So, American Catholics not only follow him as Catholics, but they have a great pride of ownership in this pope. And so it’s personal on top of being theological.”

Christie said the situation could have lasting political ramifications, particularly among Catholic voters.

He added, “And so, I think this is a real problem politically for them. Catholics are not going to forget that this president, and my party’s leadership, has taken on Pope Leo in a really, really gross way.”

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said his country’s longstanding economic partnership with the United States has turned into a liability, pointing to sweeping tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump that have strained cross-border trade.

In a video address released Sunday, Carney argued that Washington’s recent trade policies mark a significant shift.

The United States has “fundamentally changed its approach to trade, raising its tariffs to levels last seen during the Great Depression.”

He said the evolving relationship has altered Canada’s economic position in a fundamental way.

This has meant that “many of our former strengths, based on our close ties to America, have become our weaknesses — weaknesses that we must correct.”

Carney’s remarks come as tensions escalate between the two countries following the imposition of tariffs that have disrupted decades of cooperation. Among the measures is a broad 10% tariff applied to goods not covered under the Canada-U.S.-Mexico trade pact, known as CUSMA.

Additional duties have targeted key industries, including a 50% tariff on Canadian goods primarily composed of steel, aluminum, or copper, along with a 25% levy on products largely made from those materials. Certain categories of heavy machinery exported from Canada now face tariffs of 15% when entering the U.S.

Canadian officials say the economic consequences have been severe, affecting multiple sectors and creating widespread uncertainty.

Ottawa says the effect of these measures has been profound, “displacing workers, disrupting supply chains, forcing companies to rethink where they source their materials and products, and causing uncertainty that is curbing investment.”

While Canada still benefits from relatively favorable terms compared to other U.S. trading partners, Carney acknowledged that the reliance on American markets can no longer be taken for granted.

“we cannot rely on our most important trade relationship as we once did. We must build our strength at home,” Carney said.

He added that key industries are feeling the pressure from the tariffs.

“Workers in our industries most affected by U.S. tariffs in autos and steel and lumber are under threat,” he said. “Businesses are holding back investments restrained by the pall of uncertainty that’s hanging over all of us.”

Amid the ongoing trade conflict and President Trump’s repeated suggestion that Canada could become the “51st state,” Carney’s government moved earlier this year to strengthen ties with China. In January, Canada and China reached an agreement to ease certain tariffs on each other’s goods.

Under the deal, China reduced duties on Canadian agricultural exports, while Canada cut tariffs on tens of thousands of Chinese-made electric vehicles.

President Trump criticized the agreement and warned of potential retaliation.

“China will eat Canada alive, completely devour it, including the destruction of their businesses, social fabric and general way of life,” the U.S. president asserted.

Despite that criticism, Carney defended efforts to diversify Canada’s trade relationships, emphasizing the need for broader economic independence.

“We will attract new investment so we can build more for ourselves, striking new partnerships abroad so we can sell into new markets.

“It’s about taking back control of our security, our borders and our future.”

{Matzav.com}