ISTANBUL (Reuters) – Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan stated on Saturday that Islamic international locations ought to kind an alliance to counter what he referred to as the “rising expansionist risk” from Israel.
He made the feedback after describing what Palestinian and Turkish officers stated was the killing by Israeli forces of a Turkish-American lady who had taken half in a Friday protest in opposition to settlement growth within the Israeli-occupied West Financial institution.
“The one step to cease Israeli conceitedness, Israeli banditry and Israeli state terrorism is the Islamic State Alliance,” Erdogan stated at an Islamic Faculties Affiliation occasion close to Istanbul.
He stated Turkey’s current steps to enhance relations with Egypt and Syria had been aimed toward “constructing unity in opposition to the rising risk of expansionism,” which he stated additionally threatened Lebanon and Syria.
Erdogan hosted Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in Ankara this week, his first presidential go to in 12 years, the place they mentioned the Gaza battle and methods to additional restore long-frozen relations between the 2 international locations.
Relations between the 2 international locations started to thaw in 2020 as Turkey started diplomatic efforts to ease tensions with estranged regional rivals such because the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.
Erdogan stated in July that Turkey would “at any time” prolong an invite to Syrian President Bashar Assad for doable talks to revive relations between the 2 neighbors. Relations had been severed in 2011 after the civil battle broke out.
Israel had no fast touch upon Erdogan’s remarks on Saturday.
The Israeli army stated after Friday’s incident that it was investigating reviews {that a} overseas lady “died on account of firing within the space.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s workplace had no fast touch upon Friday’s incident.
