Israel slams Turkey for hosting Hamas members

JERUSALEM - Anadolu Agency

Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon arrives at the weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem. AFP Photo

Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon has condemned Turkey for “hosting members of Palestinian faction Hamas despite being a NATO member.”

“It’s unbelievable that NATO would allow a terror organization to host a headquarters in its territory,” Ya’alon said during a meeting with his Spanish counterpart Pedro Morenés in Tel Aviv on Dec. 2.

“We, for example, stopped a coup planned by Hamas - and ordered, among other things, from its headquarters in Turkey - against [Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud] Abbas in the West Bank,” he added.

Israel claimed to have arrested a Hamas cell planning a “coup” against the Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority and attacks against Israeli targets in August.

Israeli security agencies claimed that the cell was recruited by Turkey-based Hamas member Saleh al-Arouri.

Last week, Israel called on NATO to take action against Turkey, claiming that Ankara was allowing Hamas members to plan attacks against Israelis.

Turkish officials have dismissed the allegations as “baseless.”