With Israel bashing remaining high on the world agenda, Turkey apparently cannot resist the opportunity to join in, returning to its leading anti-Israel role which it adopted following Operation Cast Lead.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan now came out against the decision in Jerusalem to build 1,600 housing units in Ramat Shlomo, stating such a move is simply unacceptable.

According to Erdogan, such a move indicates Israel’s intentions, to “wipe out the Palestinians one step at a time”.

Speaking with party members, the Turkish leader stated that there cannot be a resumption of normalized relations with Israel until the embargo is lifted from Gaza. He added that the United States and the United Nations oppose continued construction in “settlements” because such a move is a violation of agreements signed after 1967 Six Day War. He called upon Israel to remove restrictions on Har Habayis and to permit free access by Muslim worshipers, warning continued restrictions may have dire consequences regarding the future stability of the region.

Anti-Israel protests were seen in Istanbul on Friday following mosque services, and the participants burned Israeli flags while others carried photos of al-Aqsa Mosque.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)