Türkİye, archive

Normalization with Israel a fantasy: Turkish Deputy PM

Bulent Arinc says Turkey would reconsider its stance with Tel Aviv if Israeli government changes its mentality

26.07.2014 - Update : 26.07.2014
Normalization with Israel a fantasy: Turkish Deputy PM

ISTANBUL

Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc has said it would be "fantasy" to talk about his country normalizing relations with Israel under the current conditions in Gaza.

Relations between Turkey and Israel have been strained since Israeli commandos killed eight Turks along with a Turkish-American in May 2010 when they attacked an aid flotilla sailing in support of the Occupied Territories - which included the Turkish ship, Mavi Marmara - while it was in international waters off Gaza.

 Arinc said late Friday in a televised interview: “Normalization is difficult at this point and even impossible.

"If the Israeli government changes its mentality or something positive takes place regarding the Gaza Strip, Turkey would reconsider its stance on normalization with Tel Aviv.”

Turkey has said that although Israel fulfilled two of the three conditions - an apology and compensation - which Turkey had set for the normalization of ties after the aid flotilla attack, it remained unwilling to fulfill the third condition of lifting its embargo on Gaza.

Turkish President Abdullah Gul and PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan have also said it is difficult to normalize relations with the Israeli government.

Deputy PM Arinc said the ruling AK Party and its members were against anti-Semitism in the wake of accusations that recent statements by Erdogan amounted to anti-Semitic statements.

Arinc said: “We cannot tolerate statements aimed at Jews living in Turkey or the world.”

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu called PM Erdogan an anti-Semite after Erdogan said there was no difference between Hitler's holocaust of the Jews and the Israeli genocide of Palestinians in Gaza.

Erdogan rejected the accusation on Friday by saying that he was probably the first prime minister in the world to oppose anti-Semitism. 

Israel's recent attacks in Gaza dubbed "Operation Protective Edge" have dealt a major blow to hopes of normalizing ties between the two states.

The latest deaths bring to 900 the total number of Palestinians killed by Israel's onslaught on the besieged coastal territory, which began on July 7.

At least 5,900 Gazans have also been injured, most of them critically.

According to official Israeli figures, 40 Israelis – 37 soldiers and three civilians – have been killed since hostilities began almost three weeks ago.

www.aa.com.tr/en

Anadolu Agency website contains only a portion of the news stories offered to subscribers in the AA News Broadcasting System (HAS), and in summarized form. Please contact us for subscription options.
Related topics
Bu haberi paylaşın