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Turkish President Erdogan says a better relationship with Israel would be “beneficial” for peace in the Middle East, but respect for the Palestinians.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says he is open to improving relations with Israel, but the country must first show “more sensitive” policies towards the Palestinians.
Erdogan told a group of Qatari journalists that better relations with Israel would be “beneficial” for peace in the wider region.
“But at the moment, Israel needs to be more sensitive to Palestinian politics. He must be sensitive about the mosque in Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa, ”he said, referring to a compound on a hilltop that is holy to Jews and Muslims.
“As soon as sensibilities are detected, we will do our best and take steps [for better ties]”Erdogan said.
The Turkish leader’s remarks were reported on Wednesday by the Anadolu state news agency and other Turkish media.
Throughout Erdogan’s tenure, relations between Israel and Turkey have deteriorated when they became strong allies in the region, and the Turkish leader has been sharply critical of Israel’s policies toward the Palestinians.
Israel, for its part, is upset by Erdogan’s heated relations with Hamas, the group that controls the Gaza Strip. Israel considers Hamas a “terrorist” organization.
Approaching Israel
The countries withdrew their ambassadors in 2010 after Israeli forces breached the Israeli blockade after attacking a flotilla linked to Gaza carrying humanitarian aid. The incident resulted in the deaths of nine Turkish activists.
Relations broke down again in 2018, when Turkey, angry that the US had moved its embassy to Jerusalem, once again recalled the Israeli ambassador, urged Israel to reciprocate.
As a sign of improved relations, however, Erdogan recently made phone calls with Israeli President Isaac Herzog and even Naftali Bennett – in which the new Israeli prime minister thanked the Turkish leader for his role in the release of an Israeli couple detained in Istanbul. espionage under suspicion.
The steps towards approaching Israel come at a time when Turkey is trying to end its international isolation by normalizing its troubled relations with several countries in the region, including Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.
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