Erdogan cuts ties with Netanyahu, blames him for violence in Gaza and Israel

Turkey has announced the recall of its ambassador to Israel for consultations, due to Israel’s refusal to accept a ceasefire in Gaza.

Ambassador Sakir Ozkan Torunlar was recalled in view of “the ongoing humanitarian tragedy in Gaza caused by Israel’s continued attacks on civilians and Israel’s refusal (to accept) a ceasefire,” the Turkish Foreign Ministry said.

Erdogan: Netanyahu is ‘no longer someone we can talk to’

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday that he was cutting off all contact with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu due to Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip.

“Netanyahu is no longer someone we can talk to. We have given up on him,” said Erdogan, according to comments reported by Turkish media.

On 25 October, the Turkish president, who met Benjamin Netanyahu most recently in September in New York, announced that he was abandoning all his plans to travel to Israel, claiming to have been “abused” by the Israeli Prime Minister.

“You will not find any other state whose army behaves with such inhumanity,” he said regarding the reprisals carried out by Israel in Gaza.

The Palestinian Hamas Health Ministry announced on Saturday that 9,488 people, including 3,900 children, had been killed in the Gaza Strip since the start of the war with Israel, which is carrying out incessant air raids there.

Israel announced on 29 October to withdraw all of its diplomats from Turkey.

Erdogan clarified on Saturday that Turkey was not breaking diplomatic relations with Israel.

“Completely severing ties is not possible, especially in international diplomacy,” Mr Erdogan said.

He explained that the head of the Turkish Intelligence Agency (MIT), Ibrahim Kalin, was spearheading Turkey’s efforts to try to end the war, through mediation.

Erdogan added, though, that he believes Netanyahu is mainly responsible for the violence and has “lost the support of his own citizens”.

“What he needs to do is step back and put an end to this situation,” Erdogan said.

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