Trump should have called me before Jerusalem decision: Erdoğan

ANKARA

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Dec. 24 that U.S. President Donald Trump should have called him before the Jerusalem decision, amid Trump’s move to recognize the holy city as Israel’s capital and a U.N. resolution denouncing his decision. 

“We made our call to the U.S. and are continuing to. There’s no reason not to have a meeting with Trump. Of course, we will call again. I wish that Trump calls us too. From the beginning, we actually waited for them to call us before declaring these decisions, as the Organization of Islamic Cooperation [OIC] term president,” he said, speaking at Esenboğa Airport in Ankara before a trip to African countries.

Erdoğan said there was no reason for him not to meet with Trump, adding that he wished Trump had called him too. 

He added that he did not yet decide to call him.

 “Turkey is among the countries that should be sought in this regard. I believe this mistake would not have been made if Mr. Trump had made his consultation with us. We can call him. But there is not yet a decision made,” Erdoğan said.

The U.N.’s 193-member General Assembly on Dec. 21 adopted a resolution on Jerusalem with an overwhelming majority of them calling on the U.S. to withdraw its recognition of the city as the capital of Israel.

On Dec. 6, Trump had officially recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital despite worldwide opposition, sparking angry demonstrations across the Muslim world. Erdoğan and other top Turkish officials have been at the international forefront opposing the U.S. move.