WarSclerotic

Iran’s defense minister warned Wednesday that the Islamic Republic would give a “crushing response” if Israel followed through on a threat by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to stymie Iranian oil shipments.

Defense minister Amir Hatami was responding to a speech last week in which Netanyahu warned that Israel’s navy might intervene if Iran was illegally exporting petroleum and bypassing American economic sanctions, the IRNA news agency reported

“If they have such an intention, this issue will be regarded as international piracy,” Hatami said.

In his speech, Netanyahu accused Iran of secretly smuggling oil to get past economic sanctions, and called on the international community to take action against the activity.

Iranian Defense Minister Amir Hatami speaks at the Conference on International Security in Moscow, Russia, April 4, 2018. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)

“Iran is trying to bypass the sanctions on it through the covert smuggling of petroleum via the sea,” he said. “As these attempts expand, the (Israeli) navy will have a more important role in efforts to block these Iranian actions.

“I call on the international community to halt, by any means, Iran’s attempts to bypass the sanctions via the sea,” Netanyahu said.

Hatami, in his response, said, “The Islamic Republic of Iran enjoys the required capability to respond to this issue and if happens, it will give a crushing response.”

He added that the Iranian military would “secure the security of shipping lines and international shipping lanes for ourselves and all those who are in our area of ​​responsibility,”

Last May the United States pulled out of a landmark 2015 nuclear deal, reimposing stiff economic sanctions that had been lifted from Iran in return for the dismantling of the weapons-capable elements of its nuclear development program. US President Donald Trump has said the deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, doesn’t go far enough in preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons and does not restrict the Iranian missile development program.

A cargo ship is seen between Iranian city port of Bandar Abbas and Qeshm island in the strategic water way of Persian Gulf, on December 23, 2011. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

Highly dependent on petroleum exports, the Iranian economy is prospected to contract by 3.6 percent in 2019 with the reimposition of the US sanctions, while its daily oil export dropped from 2.7 million barrels to 1.7-1.9 million barrels by September 2018.

While the US Navy maintains a large presence in the area, Israel does not reveal the location of its vessels.

The US Navy’s 5th Fleet is based in nearby Bahrain and over the years has had aircraft carrier groups patrol the seas off of Iran in a show of force. In December, the US carrier USS John C. Stennis entered the Persian Gulf, ending a long absence of American carriers in the volatile region.

Last month Iranian state media released an animated video showing one of the country’s Ghadir-class submarines sinking an American aircraft carrier.

In past years, Iranian naval forces have harassed US ships in the area, and Iran has threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow entrance to the Persian Gulf that is crucial to the international oil trade.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has slammed Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as a “dictator” and “a joke” in the latest exchange of insults between the two leaders.

Turkey on Tuesday denounced Netanyahu’s “blatant racism” after he called Israel the nation-state of “the Jewish people” only, not all its citizens.

Netanyahu’s initial comment had come amid an online spat sparked by Israel’s firebrand Culture Minister Miri Regev ahead of April elections and subsequently joined by Israeli Hollywood star Gal Gadot.

Regev, a member of Netanyahu’s right-wing Likud party, had in a TV interview warned voters not to support its main rival because it would rely on the support of Arab Israeli parties.

Model and actress Rotem Sela responded on Instagram, asking: “When the hell will someone in this government convey to the public that Israel is a state of all its citizens and that all people were created equal?”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, chairs the weekly cabinet meeting at his Jerusalem office, March 10, 2019. (Gali Tibbon/Pool Photo via AP)

Netanyahu reacted with his own Instagram message, telling Sela: “Israel is not a state of all its citizens.”

“According to the basic nationality law we passed, Israel is the nation-state of the Jewish people — and only it,” he said, referring to a deeply controversial piece of legislation passed last year.

Gadot, star of “Wonder Woman,” jumped to Sela’s defense.

“Love your neighbor as yourself,” Gadot wrote on Instagram late Sunday. “This isn’t a matter of right or left. Jew or Arab. Secular or religious. It’s a matter of dialogue, of dialogue for peace and security and of our tolerance of one toward the other.”

On Tuesday, Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin weighed in on Netanyahu’s comments.

Writing on Twitter in both Turkish and English, he said: “I strongly condemn this blatant racism and discrimination.”

Netanyahu struck back in a statement from his office late Tuesday.

“Turkey’s dictator Erdogan attacks Israel’s democracy while Turkish journalists and judges fill his prisons,” it read.

“What a joke!”

Turkey and Israel have tense relations and Erdogan, who regards himself as a champion of the Palestinian cause, is a vocal critic of Israeli policies.

Israel and Turkey in 2016 formally ended a six-year diplomatic rift that ensued when 10 Turkish activists were killed in a violent confrontation with Israeli commandos aboard a ship, the Mavi Marmara, that aimed to break the naval blockade on Gaza.

Israel says it maintains the blockade to prevent the import of weapons by the Hamas terror group, which rules the Strip and is sworn to Israel’s destruction.

Netanyahu has been accused by critics of demonizing Arab Israelis, who make up some 17.5 percent of the population, in a bid to boost right-wing turnout for April polls.

He is facing a tough challenge from a centrist political alliance led by former military chief of staff Benny Gantz and ex-finance minister MK Yair Lapid.

After the polls, he will also face a hearing to defend himself against corruption allegations that have dogged his campaign.

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday blasted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a “tyrant” who “massacred” Palestinian children, as the two leaders exchanged insults in their latest spat.

Erdogan was responding to comments from Netanyahu slamming the Turkish leader as a “dictator” and “a joke,” after a day of tit-for-tat exchanges between officials in both countries.

Turkey and Israel have tense relations and Erdogan, who regards himself as a champion of the Palestinian cause, is a vocal critic of Israeli policies. The two leaders have exchanged barbs in the past over Gaza.

“Hey Netanyahu, behave yourself. You are a tyrant, you are a tyrant who massacred seven-year-old Palestinian children,” Erdogan told a rally of supporters in the Turkish capital, Ankara.

Erdogan also referred to clashes between Israeli police and Palestinians in Jerusalem, denouncing Israeli security forces for entering the Temple Mount.

“Do not provoke,” he continued, before launching into what could be interpreted as an implicit threat against the Jewish community of Turkey. “Look, we have not oppressed any of the Jews in this country. We have not done anything you did to any synagogues here. Don’t provoke us. We will not fall into this trap.”

The latest exchange came after Netanyahu had called Israel the nation-state of “the Jewish people” only, not all its citizens. That prompted Turkey on Tuesday to accuse the Israeli leader of “blatant racism.”

Netanyahu struck back in a statement from his office later that day. “Turkey’s dictator Erdogan attacks Israel’s democracy while Turkish journalists and judges fill his prisons,” it read. “What a joke!”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends the weekly cabinet meeting at his Jerusalem office, March 10, 2019. (GALI TIBBON/AFP)

Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin was swift to respond on Twitter, accusing Netanyahu of attacking Erdogan “for exposing him” after the premier’s “racist remarks” toward Arabs and Muslims.

“The apartheid state he leads occupies Palestinian lands, kills women and children and imprisons Palestinians in their own land,” he wrote.

Israel and Turkey in 2016 formally ended a six-year diplomatic rift that ensued when 10 Turkish activists were killed in a violent confrontation with Israeli commandos aboard a ship, the Mavi Marmara, that aimed to break the naval blockade on Gaza. Israel says it maintains the blockade to prevent the import of weapons by the Hamas terror group, which rules the Strip and is sworn to Israel’s destruction.

Netanyahu has been accused by critics of demonizing Israeli Arabs, who make up some 17.5 percent of the population, in a bid to boost right-wing turnout for April 9 elections.

Tough challenge

After the polls, Netanyahu will also face a hearing to defend himself against corruption allegations that have dogged his campaign.

“That robber at the helm of Israel is currently on trial in his country,” Erdogan also said, referring to the prime minister.

Netanyahu is facing a tough challenge from a centrist political alliance led by former military chief of staff Benny Gantz and ex-finance minister MK Yair Lapid.

Netanyahu’s initial comment had come amid an online spat sparked by firebrand Culture and Sports Minister Miri Regev ahead of the elections and subsequently joined by Israeli Hollywood star Gal Gadot.

Culture and Sports Minister Miri Regev at the annual international Municipal Innovation Conference in Tel Aviv, on February 28, 2019. (Tomer Neuberg/Flash90)

Regev, a member of Netanyahu’s right-wing Likud party, had in a TV interview warned voters not to support its main rival because it would ally with Arab Israeli parties — a highly unlikely scenario.

Israeli model and actress Rotem Sela responded on Instagram, asking: “When the hell will someone in this government convey to the public that Israel is a state of all its citizens and that all people were created equal?”

Netanyahu reacted with his own Instagram post, telling Sela: “Israel is not a state of all its citizens.”

“According to the basic nationality law we passed, Israel is the nation-state of the Jewish people — and only it,” he said, referring to a deeply controversial piece of legislation passed by his government last year.

Gadot, star of “Wonder Woman,” jumped to Sela’s defense.

“Love your neighbor as yourself,” Gadot wrote on Instagram late Sunday.

“This isn’t a matter of right or left. Jew or Arab. Secular or religious,” she added. “It’s a matter of dialogue, of dialogue for peace and security and of our tolerance of one towards the other.”