Last Update: 04/06/2004 10:29
Turkish PM: Israel treating Palestinians as they were treated
By Hanoch Marmari, Haaretz Correspondent
ANKARA - Israel is not contributing to the peace process, is killing women and children indiscriminately and destroying Palestinian houses, in short, treating the Palestinians as they themselves were treated 500 years ago, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in an exclusive interview with Haaretz.
In his first interview to a member of the Israeli media following growing tensions in bilateral relations sparked by Israel Defense Forces operations in Gaza, Erdogan says there is is no way to describe such actions except as "state terrorism."
The interview in Erdogan's office here comes a week after the Turkish prime minister met with Infrastructure Minister Joseph Paritzky and asked him: What is the difference between terrorists who kill Israeli civilians, and Israel, which also kills civilians?
Turkey and Israel are bound by strong and ongoing relations. In your view, has there been a recent change in attitude on the Turkish side, or by the Turkish government, with regard to Israel?
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http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/434975.html