Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government “is perhaps the worst in Israel’s history, or at least the unluckiest,” said Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan Thursday, adding that Hamas “is not a terrorist movement.”
The Turkish leader said senior members of his government would not meet with their Israeli counterparts until Israel changes its policies in the region. “We will not renew agreements we signed with (Israel),” he said. “They lose from this, because after Turkey, no state in the region will agree to sit with them at the same table.”
He reiterated that relations between Jerusalem and Ankara would not return to normal until Israel apologized to Turkey for the IDF’s takeover of the Gaza aid ship Marmara, paid compensation to the families of the nine activists killed, and lifted the blockade on the Gaza Strip.
“When they meet these conditions, we’ll reassess the situation,” Erdogan said.
Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman’s recent remarks that Erdogan is a “liar” and that Ankara’s demand for an apology was “more than chutzpah” also angered the Turkish prime minister.
“He who attacks Turkey with such despicable words should look in the mirror to see the person responsible for all kinds of despicable acts,” Erdogan said. He also referred to the internal political situation, saying Lieberman was a problem weighing down Israel, and should be dismissed.
“Of course this is their obligation, not ours, but it’s clear that otherwise there will be no end to the troubles he causes the Israeli people,” he said.
Hamas is a far lesser problem according to Erdogan. During an interview, the Turkish leader said Hamas was not a terrorist group, and its members were not terrorists, but “people defending their land.”
He explained that Hamas had “not been given a chance,” and that “all options for action had been denied them, and every possible hurdle had been placed before them. Its ministers and members of parliament have been imprisoned.”
Erdogan said that during his meeting with Quartet special envoy to the Middle East Tony Blair, he had told Blair that Hamas must be recognized as a party to the conflict and an important factor in reaching a solution.
(Source: Ynet)
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8 Responses
Sure sure. Oh, and by the way I almost forgot! The sky is supposed to turn red today!
Turkey’s PM’s comments have to be evaluated as a whole. Either he’s sane, or he isn’t.
If it’s true that Hamas is not a terrorist group, then maybe Israel should seriously consider his governing counsel. But if he’s so utterly disconnected from reality as to insist that one of the world’s leading terrorist groups is actually innocent of terrorism charges, then Israelis should dismiss his advice as the ravings of a lunatic.
Calling for a boycott on turkish apricots and turkish airlines…..
Once again you post the face of evil. Oh well.
Why do we need to know or care about the rantings of a PM from a third world country? Not like they compete for any world business or has a product I can live without….Sheesh…the sooner we stop giving individuals and/or countries a microphone or a line in a paper or magazine the sooner they will just slip back into what ever hole the crawled from.
#5 they are not a third world country. Unfortunately they are one of the most powerful countries in the region in terms of economy, population, military and influence.
Would it be appropriate to pray for a victory for the opposition CHP party in Turkey’s upcoming general election?
#7 Anyone is better than Erdogan at the rate Turkey is going it will be another Iran. Ataturk is rolling in his grave.