Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the start of the weekly government meeting on Sunday responded to allegations made by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan regarding a Sept. 25 referendum on independence for the Kurdistan region in northern Iraq.
Israeli left-wing newspaper Haaretz on Sunday reported Netanyahu as saying that “Israel played no part in the Kurdish referendum, aside from the natural, deep and long-standing sympathy the Jewish people have for the Kurdish people and their aspirations.”
Referring to Erdoğan, Netanyahu said on Sunday, “‘Those who support Hamas’ tend to see the Mossad’s involvement where it suits them.”
Kurdistan24 said on Monday that Netanyahu was the only leader to endorse an independent Kurdistan. Ahead of the independence vote, Netanyahu said Israel “supports the legitimate efforts of the Kurdish people to achieve a state of their own.”
Speaking in eastern Turkey on Saturday, Erdoğan said the fact that Israeli flags were waved during events celebrating the “yes” vote proves Israel’s involvement.
AFP quoted Erdoğan as saying that “this shows one thing, that this administration [the Kurdish leadership in northern Iraq] has a history with Mossad, they are hand-in-hand together.”