Erdogan: Israel's mentality is a barrier to Mideast peace
Turkish PM, speaking before Arab League meeting in Cairo, attacks Israeli government's policies, says recognition of Palestinian state is 'an obligation.'
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan told a meeting of Arab League foreign ministers in Cairo on Tuesday that the mentality of the Israeli government serves as an obstacle to peace in the Middle East, and stressed the need for recognition of a Palestinian state.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said during a tour on the Egyptian border that "eventually common sense and logic prevail, both on our side and on the other side."
"The barrier to peace in the region is the mentality of the Israeli government," Erdogan said. "The people in Israel are under a blockade (by its government)."
He insisted that Turkey will not return to normal relations with Israel until it apologizes for the 2010 Gaza flotilla raid, compensates the families of the victims, and lifts the blockade of the Gaza Strip. Without directly mentioning Israel, Erdogan added that "every country must pay for the terror acts it carries out."
Erdogan also stressed that Turkey believes no country is above international law. "Turkey will take every possible step to ensure the freedom of movement in the eastern Mediterranean."
Moreover, the Turkish premier emphasized that the recognition of a Palestinian state was "not an option but an obligation."
The Turkish prime minister was visiting Egypt at the start of a North African tour aimed at cementing Turkey's standing in the region following the "Arab Spring" uprisings.
Erdogan: Israel's mentality is a barrier to Mideast peace - Haaretz Daily Newspaper | Israel News
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Erdoğan attacks Israel, seeks Arab support for Palestinian statehood
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, visiting Egypt at the start of a North Africa tour, reiterated criticism of Israel at an Arab League meeting and called on the Arab countries to support a Palestinian bid for recognition of statehood at UN General Assembly later this month.
Our Palestinian brothers should be able to have their own state. Let's fly the Palestinian flag at the UN together, he told a meeting of the 22-member Arab League.
Erdoğan also said the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was a matter of humanity and added that the current status quo can no longer be maintained.
Israeli policies towards Palestinians have strained once-solid Turkish-Israeli ties. Tensions peaked when Israeli commandos killed eight Turks and one Turkish-American on an aid ship trying to break an Israeli blockade of Gaza, under way since 2007, in May 2010. Turkey announced earlier this month a set of measures against Israel, expelling the Israeli ambassador and suspending military agreements.
Ankara also vowed to take measures to ensure freedom of navigation in eastern Mediterranean, where last year's raid took place, and said it would seek a review of the Israeli blockade by the International Court of Justice.
Erdoğan said last week that Turkish military ships will escort civilian aid ships to prevent a repetition of the 2010 raid, setting the stage for a military confrontation with Israel.
In Cairo, Erdoğan said Israel continued taking steps that undermine its own legitimacy, noting that it killed nine Turks on the aid ship and five Egyptian soldiers at the border in August.
He reiterated that a UN report defending the Israeli blockade of Gaza as legal was null and void for Turkey and insisted that Turkey's relations with Israel will not return to normal unless Israel apologizes for the 2010 raid, pay compensation for families of the victims and lifts the blockade of Gaza.
Turkey does not recognize the Gaza blockade, Erdoğan said, reiterating that Turkey will take measures to ensure freedom of navigation in the eastern Mediterranean and vowed that Turkey will press for an International Court of Justice review of the blockade.
States, just like individuals, have to pay the price for murders, for acts of terrorism they committed so that we can live in a more just world, he said.
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