Obama welcomes call between Israel, Turkey, says restoration of relations needed for peace
JERUSALEM – President Barack Obama says he welcomes a telephone call Friday between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Turkey and Israel were once close allies, but relations have unraveled, exacerbated in 2010 by a deadly Israeli raid on a Turkish ship that tried to break Israel’s blockade of the Gaza Strip.
Last year, Erdogan accused Israel’s leaders of trying to eliminate the Palestinian population in Gaza. And the Turkish leader recently compared Zionism to Fascism at a U.N. meeting, prompting U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry to object and say the remark complicated Mideast peace efforts.
Obama says it’s important the two nations restore good relations so they can co-operate on regional security. The call comes on the final day of Obama’s trip to Israel.
News from © The Associated Press, . All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Join the Conversation!
Want to share your thoughts, add context, or connect with others in your community? Create a free account to comment on stories, ask questions, and join meaningful discussions on our new site.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.