Israel issues travel warning on Turkey

JERUSALEM - The Associated Press

DHA file photo

Israel is calling on its citizens to stay away from Turkey because of intelligence warning of imminent attacks against sites frequented by Jews and Israelis there.

The prime minister's counterterrorism office issued the warning late yesterday. It said "terror groups are planning to carry out attacks against Jewish and Israeli sites inside Turkey in the coming days."

Last month Israel blamed Iran for attacks in Thailand and India. An Israeli diplomat's wife was wounded in India.

Israel and Turkey were once close allies, but in recent years Turkey has preferred closer ties with the Arab and Muslim world, cooling its relations with Israel. There have been several high-profile spats between the two.

Turkey was a popular tourist destination for Israelis, but that has sharply declined.