Turkish PM to speak to Obama over Gaza strikes

ISTANBUL

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. AA photo

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will speak on the phone with U.S. President Barack Obama to discuss the ongoing strikes on Gaza by Israel, daily Hürriyet has reported.  

“We stand by our Gazan friends here as the Turkish government,” Erdoğan said today, adding that Israel had started striking Gaza and killing innocent people using fictional excuses ahead of elections, as had happened prior to the 2008 election.  

“I will have a phone conversation with Obama. I will share these thoughts with him,” he said.   Erdoğan also said the U.N. Security Council and the dominant world powers should try to dissuade Israel from launching further attacks on Gaza, adding that no relationship existed between Turkey and Israel anymore.  

“The U.N. Security Council is the best place to confront Israel, and countries that have relations with Israel should meet it too. We do not have any relations to meet Israel,” he said.  

Turkey has also requested a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Erdoğan added.