Turkey Will Not Drop Demand for Ending Gaza Blockade: Erdogan's Spokesman
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Turkey will not drop its demand for an end to the blockade of Gaza in order to normalize relations with Israel, Turkish President Spokesperson Ibrahim Kalin said on Monday.
"What happens in Gaza is unacceptable, the occupation by Israel must end" Kalin said, urging that the humanitarian crisis in the tiny enlcave be addressed.
He added that no final agreement on a text for mending ties with Israel had yet been reached and that talks would continue in the coming weeks, the Daily Sabah reported.
Turkey was once Israel's closest regional ally but ties collapsed in 2010 over the killing by Israeli marines of 10 Turkish pro-Palestinian activists who tried to breach the Gaza blockade.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry said on Friday Turkish and Israeli teams had made progress towards finalizing a deal in talks last week.
Regarding Turkey's position on the participation of Kurdish groups in Geneva talks on Syria, Kalin reiterated that Ankara's position has not changed and the YPG/PYD are not welcome in the talks.
