Turkey has recalled its ambassador to Israel and broke off contact with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, citing the “humanitarian tragedy” in Gaza and “Israel’s refusal of calls for ceasefire.”
“In view of the unfolding humanitarian tragedy in Gaza caused by the continuing attacks by Israel against civilians, and Israel’s refusal of calls for ceasefire and continuous and unhindered flow of humanitarian aid, it was decided to recall our Ambassador in Tel Aviv, H.E. Mr. Sakir Ozkan Torunlar, to Ankara for consultations,” the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on Saturday.
Turkish media also reported that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is holding PM Netanyahu personally responsible for the bloodshed in Gaza.
“[Israeli Prime Minister] Netanyahu is no longer someone we can talk to. We have written him off,” he reportedly said.
“Complete disconnection is not possible, especially in international diplomacy,” Erdogan said. “But Netanyahu bears the main responsibility for the violence. What he needs to do is take a step back and stop it.”
This comes as Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to stop in Turkey amid his Middle East visit to Jordan and Israel, where he will “underscore the importance of protecting civilian lives in Israel and the Gaza Strip,” according to the State Department.
Erdogan declared in a pro-Palestine protest in Istanbul last week that Israel is violating international law and killing civilians in Gaza in an attempt to ethnically cleanse Palestinians from the disputed territory.
“Israel has been openly committing war crimes for 22 days, but the Western leaders cannot even call on Israel for a cease-fire, let alone react to it,” Erdogan said last week.
“We will tell the whole world that Israel is a war criminal,” he added. “We are making preparations for this. We will declare Israel a war criminal.”
Israel responded to Ergodan’s rhetoric by ordering its own diplomats to return from Turkey.
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