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ISRAEL-UAE-US-DIPLOMACY
Erdogan says Turkey could suspend relations with UAE after Israel deal
ISTANBUL, Aug 14, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
said on Friday that Turkey could suspend diplomatic relations with the
United Arab Emirates after a landmark deal between Israel and the Gulf
state.
“I gave an order to the foreign minister. I said we could suspend
diplomatic relations with the Abu Dhabi administration or withdraw our
ambassador,” Erdogan told reporters.
In the deal announced on Thursday by the US, Israel pledged to
suspend its planned annexation of Palestinian lands in exchange for a
normalisation of ties with the UAE.
The Palestinian Authority on Thursday announced the “immediate”
recall of its ambassador to the UAE in protest at the deal.
Erdogan, a pious Muslim, is a strong advocate of Palestinian rights
who has frequently criticised Israeli policies in the West Bank.
Earlier this year he criticised Washington’s Middle East peace plan
for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as “treason”.
“History will not forget those who betray the Palestinian people
and sell out the Palestinian cause,” Erdogan’s spokesman, Ibrahim
Kalin, tweeted on Friday.
“Turkey will continue to stand by the Palestinian people.”
The Turkish foreign ministry earlier described the UAE-Israel deal
as a hypocritical betrayal of the Palestinian cause.
Ties between the UAE and Turkey have been strained for a long time,
and have especially deteriorated over the conflict in Libya where the
two countries support opposing sides.
BSS/AFP/MRU/1836hrs