Israeli envoy cancels event with Turkish Deputy PM over the row on Zionism

BERLIN

Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç visits the remains of the Berlin wall on March 5. AA photo

Israel’s ambassador to Germany has canceled his participation in a high-level event that Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç is scheduled to attend, citing Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s comments on Zionism. 

Israeli Ambassador Yakov Hadas-Handelsman was to take part in the event, entitled “Muslims, Jews, Christians: Peace is possible!” at a Berlin hotel, according to the Times of Israel website. 

“Because of the importance of this event I expected that the Turkish prime minister would retract his recent horrible statements and lies about Zionism. But since that did not happen I am forced to cancel my participation in the event. Erdoğan’s statements contradict the purpose of dialogue,” the statement said. 

Last week, Prime Minister Erdoğan’s likened Zionism to crimes against humanity in a Vienna conference.