Netanyahu invoked the Armenian Genocide at the UN General Assembly on Thursday as he escalated his public confrontation with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, accusing him of genocide denial and a series of other abuses.

Speaking in New York, Netanyahu called Erdogan a dictator and accused him of denying the Armenian Genocide, killing thousands of Kurds, harboring Hamas leaders in Turkey, occupying Northern Cyprus and repressing political opponents.

The remarks came during the 81st UN General Assembly’s high-level week, where the war in Gaza and broader tensions across the Middle East have dominated speeches and diplomatic exchanges.

Erdogan addressed the Assembly on September 22, placing Gaza at the center of his speech and sharply criticizing Israel’s actions against Palestinians. UN Secretary-General António Guterres has also used this year’s General Debate to call for an end to the fighting and warn about the scale of killing and destruction in Gaza.

Netanyahu’s appearance on September 24 came amid protests in New York and visible opposition inside the UN chamber, with numerous delegates leaving as he took the podium.

The Armenian Genocide has increasingly become part of the political confrontation between Israel and Turkey. Netanyahu has previously cited Turkey’s denial of the genocide while responding to Erdogan’s criticism of Israel, making Thursday’s remarks part of a broader pattern in the increasingly hostile relationship between the two governments.