The evidence for the assertion that Israel was behind the violent suppression of the Muslim Brotherhood? Erdogan himself offered none, but an aide later said that the prime minister was referring to an Internet video Erdogan saw in which the current Israeli justice minister, Tzipi Livni, and the famous French-Jewish philosopher Bernard-Henri Levy, were speaking at a news conference in 2011. In the video, BHL, as he is known, expressed opposition to the Muslim Brotherhood’s ruling Egypt.

And that’s it. The prosecution rests. A Jewish philosopher from France (albeit one with great clothes) says on television that he doesn’t like the Muslim Brotherhood, and that’s sufficient proof for Erdogan.

Now, if someone were to go on television in the U.S. and assert — based on the aforementioned single piece of “evidence” — that the Jewish state was behind the chaos in Egypt, well, that person would soon find himself with limited opportunities to offer further commentary (even on Al Jazeera, I assume). But we’re talking about the prime minister of a major American military ally and the leader of a nation of more than 70 million people.

And this isn’t the first time, of course.