'Erdogan: Israel to stay isolated if doesn't apologize'

Report: Turkish PM says that "Israel never behaved like a civilized country with Turkey."

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Recep Tayyip Erdogan 311 (photo credit: Associated Press)
Recep Tayyip Erdogan 311
(photo credit: Associated Press)
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan criticized what he called the "double standards" of the United States at the end of this week. "Washington is not ready to condemn the state terrorism of Israel against Turkey, which means that the USA is supporting international terrorists who killed our citizens in international waters,"  the Turkish prime minister was quoted as saying by Pakistani paper The International Newson Friday.
When asked about Turkey's diplomatic relations with Israel, Erdogan said that "despite diplomatic relations, Israel never behaved like a civilized country with Turkey, and I cannot give any advice to my Pakistani brothers; it is their right to decide about making relations with Israel,” according to the report.
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On the same trip Erdogan also said, "Israel must apologize to Turkey and pay compensation. If it does not, it will be doomed to remain isolated in the Middle East," Iranian Press TV reported on Friday.
Speaking of regional geopolitics, Erdogan stated that Pakistan, Turkey, Afghanistan, and Iran have a common future, emphasizing that the security of each country is dependent on the security of the others, but saying that enemies are creating problems for each of the four countries, according to The International News' report.
The comments were made as the Turkish prime minister toured flood-ravaged parts of Pakistan this week.
On Wednesday, Turkey announced that it would not attend the upcoming OECD conference being held in Jerusalem later this month in what the Turkish newspaper, Hurriyet, described as Turkey's first official boycott of Israel in the wake of the Mavi Marmara raid, in which nine Turkish activists were killed.
Israeli-Turkish relations have been at an all-time low since the May 31 flotilla raid in which nineTurks were killed. The strained relations saw Turkey's ambassador to Israel recalled for the second time this year after the flotilla incident.