{"id":81405,"date":"2026-02-25T23:30:59","date_gmt":"2026-02-25T20:30:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nationalturk.com\/en\/?p=81405"},"modified":"2026-02-25T23:30:59","modified_gmt":"2026-02-25T20:30:59","slug":"netanyahu-calls-ottoman-rule-an-occupation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nationalturk.com\/en\/netanyahu-calls-ottoman-rule-an-occupation\/","title":{"rendered":"Netanyahu Calls Ottoman Rule an \u201cOccupation\u201d in Speech at Israeli Parliament"},"content":{"rendered":"

Speaking at a special session of the Knesset during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi\u2019s official visit, Israeli<\/a> Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made controversial statements about the Ottoman period. Referring to World War I, Netanyahu characterized Ottoman rule as an \u201coccupation,\u201d drawing attention for his interpretation of historical events.<\/p>\n

Netanyahu: \u201cThey Helped Liberate Us\u201d<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Netanyahu claimed that Indian soldiers who fought alongside British forces during World War I contributed to what he described as Israel\u2019s liberation from Ottoman control. Despite the fact that the State of Israel did not exist at the time and the Jewish population in Palestine was limited, Netanyahu argued that Jewish fighters within the British army, along with Indian troops and commanders, played a role in ending Ottoman rule.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe will not forget that Indian soldiers gave their lives for us,\u201d Netanyahu said, framing the period as part of a broader struggle for freedom.<\/p>\n

Strategic Alliance Emphasis<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Highlighting India\u2019s population of nearly 1.5 billion, Netanyahu described the country as a global power and referred to Israel as a \u201csuperpower\u201d despite its small size. He emphasized plans to deepen strategic cooperation between the two nations.<\/p>\n

In his remarks, Netanyahu also referenced biblical imagery, speaking of an alliance stretching \u201cfrom India to Ethiopia,\u201d signaling broader geopolitical ambitions.
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