PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) has expressed opposition to a planned visit to Gaza by Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. That visit is set to take place at the end of next month.

While Israel National Security Advisor Yaakov Amidror is in Ankara meeting senior state officials towards increasing military cooperation with Israel, Abu Mazen is also in Ankara, where he met with US Secretary of State John Kerry. Abu Mazen objects to Erdogan’s visit to Hamas, which in his eyes diminishes his authority as PA leader by honoring Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh with an official state visit. Erdogan took part in the trilateral meeting with Abu Mazen which concluded with a press conference by Kerry, announcing America’s objections to a visit to Gaza by the Turkish prime minister. Erdogan has yet to indicate if he plans to make the visit to Gaza as planned or if he prefers to comply with the joint US/PA request.

Hamas officials were outraged over the PA leader’s actions, condemning his travel to Turkey for the purpose of enlisting US support for his call to cancel the Turkish Gaza visit. Hamas spokespersons Sami Abu Zohari announced the purpose of Erdogan’s visit is to assist Hamas against the ongoing Israeli embargo of Gaza. Zohari added that the actions of Abu Mazen are troubling and widen the gap with the Hamas administration as well as further complicating efforts towards unity between the PA in Ramallah and Hamas.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)