FILE PHOTO: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends the weekly cabinet meeting at the Prime Minister's office in Jerusalem, Israel July 23, 2018. Gali Tibbon/Pool via Reuters

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday rebuked Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, accusing him of massacring Syrians and Kurds after Erdogan strongly criticized Israel.

Erdogan said a new Israeli law declaring that only Jews have the right of self-determination in Israel legitimized oppression and showed that Israel is a fascist and racist country.

Netanyahu replied: “Erdogan is massacring the Syrians and the Kurds and is jailing thousands of his own people. This great democrat’s criticism of the Nation State Law is the greatest compliment it could be paid.”