Turkey's Erdogan Lashes out at Israel's 'Lies' over Gaza
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday accused Israel of a policy "based on lies" over its aerial bombardment of Gaza, in his latest vehement criticism of the Jewish state.
Speaking to supporters in Istanbul, Erdogan pointed out that 100 Palestinians had now been killed in the Israeli campaign while no Israeli's had died due to Palestinian attacks.
"They say (Hamas) is firing rockets. But is there anybody who died?" he asked.
"The number of Palestinians that you (Israel) killed is now 100. Their (Israel's) life is based on lies. They are not honest.
"We cannot take the side of the cruel."
Erdogan in 2009 famously walked out of the World Economic Forum in Davos during a previous Israeli assault on Gaza and relations between Israel and Turkey have become even frostier over the last years.
Ten Turkish activists died after a 2010 maritime assault by Israeli commandos on Gaza-bound ship Mavi Marmara and Ankara responded by expelling the Israeli ambassador and demanding a formal apology.
Erdogan said that a deal for the normalization of ties had been close with an agreement near on compensation for the 2010 deaths, but it had now been put back after the latest assault.
"We cannot look positively to the normalization process while our Palestinian brothers are being killed," said Erdogan.
"The Palestinian cause is our cause", said Erdogan, adding Turkey would help make their voice heard in the world.
Source: Agence France Presse
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