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Turkish PM suspends all ties with Israel - Middle East - Al Jazeera English
Turkey is "totally suspending" all trade, military and defence industry ties with Israel, the Turkish prime minister said.
"Trade ties, military ties, regarding defence industry ties, we are completely suspending them," Recep Tayyip Erdogan, said in Ankara on Tuesday.
"This process will be followed by different measures."
The call by Erdogan, who referred to Israel as "a spoiled child", to end trade ties comes a day after the Turkish minister of economy had said that bilateral commercial ties would continue as usual, Al Jazeera's Serpil Karacan reported from Istanbul.
Severing of "the miiltary ties is very significant between the two countries to the degree that it'll have some impact on Turkey as well, especially for the Heron planes and especially for military intelligence," she said.
Turkey downgraded diplomatic relations with its former ally to the level of second secretary last week after Israel refused to apologise for the deadly Israeli raid on a Gaza-bound Turkish-flagged protest flotilla that killed nine pro-Palestinian activists last year.
On Friday, Turkey expelled the Israeli ambassador in Ankara, suspended military deals and vowed a greater naval presence in the eastern Mediterranean Sea.
Erdogan said the Israeli diplomats who have been ordered out of Turkey must leave by Wednesday.
The prime minister also hinted at a possible visit to Gaza, though adding that no final decision had been made yet.
"We are talking with the Egyptians on this matter ... A trip to Gaza is not finalised yet," Erdogan, who is due to visit Egypt next week, said on Tuesday.
Israel has expressed regret for the loss of lives in the 2010 flotilla raid but refused to issue an apology for what they say was their soldiers' act of "self-defence".
Karacan reported the tension between Israel and Turkey is deeply rooted and has escalated as Ankara displayed an active interest in the Palestinian question.
"Israel was never happy that Turkey had a more Islamist-incline government that shows more interest in the Palestinian question and takes it to heart and supports it in all international platforms," she said.
Turkey is "totally suspending" all trade, military and defence industry ties with Israel, the Turkish prime minister said.
"Trade ties, military ties, regarding defence industry ties, we are completely suspending them," Recep Tayyip Erdogan, said in Ankara on Tuesday.
"This process will be followed by different measures."
The call by Erdogan, who referred to Israel as "a spoiled child", to end trade ties comes a day after the Turkish minister of economy had said that bilateral commercial ties would continue as usual, Al Jazeera's Serpil Karacan reported from Istanbul.
Severing of "the miiltary ties is very significant between the two countries to the degree that it'll have some impact on Turkey as well, especially for the Heron planes and especially for military intelligence," she said.
Turkey downgraded diplomatic relations with its former ally to the level of second secretary last week after Israel refused to apologise for the deadly Israeli raid on a Gaza-bound Turkish-flagged protest flotilla that killed nine pro-Palestinian activists last year.
On Friday, Turkey expelled the Israeli ambassador in Ankara, suspended military deals and vowed a greater naval presence in the eastern Mediterranean Sea.
Erdogan said the Israeli diplomats who have been ordered out of Turkey must leave by Wednesday.
The prime minister also hinted at a possible visit to Gaza, though adding that no final decision had been made yet.
"We are talking with the Egyptians on this matter ... A trip to Gaza is not finalised yet," Erdogan, who is due to visit Egypt next week, said on Tuesday.
Israel has expressed regret for the loss of lives in the 2010 flotilla raid but refused to issue an apology for what they say was their soldiers' act of "self-defence".
Karacan reported the tension between Israel and Turkey is deeply rooted and has escalated as Ankara displayed an active interest in the Palestinian question.
"Israel was never happy that Turkey had a more Islamist-incline government that shows more interest in the Palestinian question and takes it to heart and supports it in all international platforms," she said.
