Erdogan Dismisses Reconciliation With Israel Over Gaza ‘Terror’

[Purveyor]

By Onur Ant and Ali Berat Meric Jul 15, 2014 7:19 AM ET

July 15 (Bloomberg) -- Bloomberg’s Phil Mattingly examines the White House’s response to the cease-fire plan for Israel-Gaza presented by the Egyptian government and the state of the Middle East policy. He speaks on “Bloomberg Surveillance.”

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan ruled out restoring ties with Israel until it permanently halts strikes against the Palestinian Gaza Strip and removes an “inhumane embargo” on the territory.

Relations between the two former regional allies have been strained since nine Turks aboard an aid flotilla headed for Gaza in 2010 were killed during an assault by Israeli commandos. A tenth died recently in hospital. Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc said earlier this year that the countries were close to finalizing an agreement to allow ambassadors to return.

“A cease-fire is not enough,” Erdogan told lawmakers of his ruling party during a televised weekly address in parliament in Ankara today. “The inhumane embargo targeting Gaza must be lifted immediately,” he said. “Normalization of our ties is impossible while massacres in Palestine continue and children get killed.”

Israel today accepted a proposal from Egypt’s government to halt its week-long battle with militants in the Hamas-ruled Gaza while warning it would broaden its offensive if armed groups didn’t hold their fire. Palestinian groups responded to the truce call by barraging Israel with rockets.

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http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-07-15/erdogan-dismisses-reconciliation-with-israel-over-gaza-terror-.html

[Jefferson23]

1. Interesting positioning, in the sense for public consumption anyway. n/t

[sabbat hunter]

3. well he is

positioning himself to run for President of Turkey in the next elections, and hopes to gain enough seats in the parliament to change the constitution to give the president wide sweeping powers, instead of the mostly ceremonial ones the position has now.

So I agree that he is doing this for public consumption in Turkey to shore up his base, rally the troops around him.

[Jefferson23]

4. I think so, he has lots of head aches at home. n/t

[King_David]

2. Erdogan should broker another cease fire

Like Egypt did.
Of course Hamas will reject it again.