Special to WorldTribune.com

WASHINGTON — For the first time, supporters in Congress warned Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan that his behavior threatened U.S. relations with Turkey.

Four House members sent Erdogan a letter that protested the prime minister’s vituperative attacks on Israel amid its war with Hamas. The lawmakers, all members of the U.S. Congressional Caucus on U.S.-Turkish Relations and Turkish Americans, said Erdogan was deemed anti-Semitic, and this would endanger Washington’s ties with Ankara.

“It has come to our attention that remarks you have recently made have been widely viewed as anti-Semitic and are most definitely anti-Israel,” the letter signed by Reps. Steve Cohen, Gerald Connolly, Virginia Foxx and Ed Whitfield, said. “Your remarks, already reviled as ‘offensive and wrong’ by the U.S. State Department, make it increasingly difficult to communicate in a positive way about Turkey when interacting with our colleagues.”

The letter marked the latest step in what has been described as the sharp decline in support for Turkey in Congress. A similar warning from the pro-Turkish caucus to Erdogan was issued in July 2014.

Over the last few weeks, Erdogan, an avowed supporter of Hamas, has compared Israel to Hitler. At the same time, the prime minister’s Islamist supporters have warned the Turkish Jewish community of a backlash.

“Your recent comments, however, do nothing to end violence but rather could serve to instigate further hatred,” the letter said. “We remain strong supporters of robust U.S.-Turkey relations and hope that you will consider the impact that such inflammatory rhetoric has on our relationship.”

Erdogan, expected to win his bid for the presidency, has been regarded as the foreign leader closest to President Barack Obama. Obama, who selected Turkey as a mediator in the Gaza war, has not directly responded to the prime minister’s attacks on Israel and Jews, but Erdogan said the president no longer takes his phone calls.

Turkey’s ambassador to Washington, Volkan Bozkir, denied that Erdogan was anti-Semitic. But he acknowledged rising anti-Semitism in Turkey and other parts of Europe during the Gaza war.

“Obviously, it is not a coincidence that anti-Semitic incidents increase during times when Israeli governments attack the Palestinian people,” Bozkir said. “Each Israeli attack undermines the peace and tranquility of Jews living all around the world and turns them into targets of hate speech.”

  Congressmen warn Erdogan’s ‘anti-Semitic’ comments endanger U.S.-Turkey’s ties, Rep. Ed Whitfield, Rep. Steve Cohen, Rep. Virginia Foxx, Volkan Bozkir