Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Istanbul … News Time
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said he wants better relations with Israel, but that his policy on Palestine is “unacceptable” and “red line” for us. According to the news agency ‘Reuters’, Tayyip Erdogan said that talks have started between the intelligence agencies of the two countries. Talking to reporters in Istanbul, he said that Turkey has problems with high-ranking officials in Israel and if these problems did not exist, then these relations would be very different. Tayyip Erdogan said that Palestine policy is our red line, Israel’s policy towards Palestine is unacceptable to us, and their cruel role is unacceptable. “If there were no problems at the highest level, our relationship could have been very different. We would like to bring our relationship to a better level,” he said.
It should be noted that despite trade relations between Turkey and Israel, tensions had risen in recent years and ambassadors were recalled in 2018. Turkey has strongly condemned Israel’s occupation of the West Bank and its atrocities against the Palestinians, and tensions between the two countries have been fueled by Israeli shelling of Gaza, but trade between the two countries continues. In August this year, Israel accused Turkey of issuing passports to dozens of Hamas leaders in Istanbul, calling it a “very unfriendly move” and raising concerns with Turkish officials.
Hamas seized control of Gaza from supporters of President Mahmoud Abbas after the 2007 Palestinian elections, and has fought three wars with Israel. Turkey maintains that Hamas is a legitimate political movement and has been democratically elected. Turkey recalled its ambassador to Israel in May 2018 in response to attacks on Palestinians protesting US President Donald Trump’s decision to move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, but this month for two years. After the break, a new ambassador was nominated. The report said that the appointment of 40-year-old Ufuk Ulutas as the new Turkish ambassador to Israel was taken in an effort to improve relations with US President-elect Joe Biden’s administration. Sources were quoted as saying that Ufuk Ulutas is a very capable, cunning and very supportive of the Palestinians who studied Hebrew and Middle Eastern politics at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He also specializes in Israel’s regional rival Iran, but is not a diplomat by profession.
On the other hand, Israel has established diplomatic relations with four Muslim countries this year, including the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, and this week said it would soon establish relations with a fifth Muslim country, possibly an Asian country. There was also an impression of Tunisia, but there was a clear statement that there is no intention of relations with Israel. An Israeli government minister says the Jewish state is trying to normalize relations with a fifth Muslim country before US President Donald Trump leaves the presidency. Asked if a fifth country could sign an agreement with Israel before Trump leaves power on January 20, Israel’s Minister for Regional Cooperation, Ofir Akunis, told Ynet TV. We were working in that direction. He said the United States would announce another country’s normalization of relations with Israel, but declined to name the country but said there were two key candidates, citing the possibility of Oman. It is in the Gulf and Saudi Arabia is not.
