Erdogan Backs Palestinian Terror Groups, But Warns Israel Over Support for Kurdish Independence

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan gestures as he speaks in Istanbul on March 12, 2017
OZAN KOSE/AFP/Getty Images

The Times of Israel reports: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday said Israel should “review” its support for Iraqi Kurdish independence, warning the Jewish state’s support for the bid could negatively affect diplomatic ties between Ankara and Jerusalem.

“If they do not review, we cannot take a lot of steps that we were about to take with Israel,” Erdogan was quoted by the official Anadolu news agency as saying. “It is not possible for us to take steps with those who do not see Turkey as a playmaker in the region. Turkey is a playmaker in the region,” he said.

Despite years of close security and intelligence ties, Israel’s diplomatic relations with Turkey have been frosty under Erdogan’s rule, reaching a nadir after Israeli troops raided the Gaza-bound Mavi Marmara ship and killed nine Turkish nationals, who attacked them violently aboard, in May 2010.

Read more here.

COMMENTS

Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.