Israel–Turkey relations

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israeli leadership are solely responsible for the recent escalation of tensions in the Middle East, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday.

"Israel is trying to provoke a regional conflict, and its attack on Iran's embassy in Damascus  was the last drop," he told a press conference in Ankara after a cabinet meeting.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has issued a call to the global community to condemn the Israeli bombardment of hospitals, schools, mosques and churches in the besieged Gaza Strip.

"Humanity must prevent further violations of international law in Gaza," Erdoğan said in a letter to Pope Francis on April 13, emphasizing that civilians should never be targeted in times of war.

Rich Goldberg, a senior advisor at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies with a deep expertise in sanctions policy who previously served on the White House NSC, joins Thanos Davelis to look at why we need to be paying attention to this new flotilla set to depart Turkey for Gaza, which has the potential to spark a diplomatic crisis.

Turkey and Israel announced trade barriers on each other Tuesday as relations deteriorated further amid the war in Gaza.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday called for increased international pressure on Israel to ensure more humanitarian aid is allowed into Gaza, and said Ankara will increase its support during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

A spokesperson for the Turkish Foreign Ministry has responded to recent statements made by Israeli officials against President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, accusing them of attempting to shift the focus away from their country's actions in Gaza.

In a show of defiance, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Friday that Ankara will continue its efforts for the recognition of the northern part of Cyprus, which Turkey has occupied since its 1974 invasion, as a separate state from the internationally recognized Republic of Cyprus. 

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is set to visit Ankara on March 5, according to an announcement made by Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki at a diplomacy forum in Antalya.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said his government does not discriminate against citizens based on their political views.

"We all remember very well what happened to us in the past when the institution of politics lost its ability to offer hope and find solutions to the country's problems," he said, addressing a crowd in northern Rize city on Feb. 17.

Despite problems and preventions from the Western world, Türkiye will continue its efforts for a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has vowed, stressing Ankara will use its diplomatic means to this end.