No ties yet with Israel: Turkey

Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Published Oct 5, 2011

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Turkey will not resume ties with Israel unless it apologises for last year's Gaza flotilla raid, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday.

Speaking in Pretoria at a public lecture on Turkey's relations with Africa, Erdogan said Israel would also need to pay compensation and lift its embargo of the Gaza strip before relations could be resumed.

The Gaza raid resulted in the deaths of nine people.

Erdogan criticised the United Nations for its failure to fully implement sanctions against Israel.

Had sanctions been introduced against Israel, “the conflict would have been resolved long time ago”, he said.

Erdogan said the purpose of tunnels dug between Gaza and Egypt was to provide food and animals for Muslim festivals.

An Israeli diplomat at the conference however said the tunnels were used to smuggle weapons.

Erdogan countered that the tunnels were not used for nuclear bombs, sulphur bombs or tanks.

“I believe Israel is a threat to the region as well as its neighbours.”

There was no conflict with the Israeli people, but with its government, he said. - Sapa

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