The Turkish President has commented on the recent UAE-Israel deal. After UAE decided to normalize ties with Israel, Ankara might pull back its ambassador from Abu Dhabi, Mr Erdogan insists.
Turkey’s foreign ministry said history would never forgive the UAE’s “hypocritical behaviour” in agreeing such a deal, which recasts the order of Middle East politics. According to President Erdogan, another US-brokered deal undermines the stability in the region.
Following the unexpected UAE’s move, Ankara is considering suspending diplomatic ties with the Middle Eastern nation and withdrawing its ambassador. The recently signed agreement between the UAE and Israel aimed at normalization of ties between the two countries, however, Turkey will never accept that.
In fact, Turkey has diplomatic and trade ties with Israel, but relations have been strained for years. In addition, the Palestinian leaders denounced the announcement as a “stab in the back” to their cause, SkyNews reports.
“The move against Palestine is not a step that can be stomached. Now, Palestine is either closing or withdrawing its embassy. The same thing is valid for us now,” President Erdogan said on Friday.
In response, the Turkish leader told the foreign minister that Ankara may also take a step in the direction of suspending diplomatic ties with the Abu Dhabi leadership or pulling back the Turkish ambassador.
The US-brokered deal undermines stability in the region
Under the US-brokered deal, the first between Israel and a Gulf Arab nation, Israel agreed to suspend its planned annexation of areas of the occupied West Bank.
The deal makes UAE the third Arab country to establish full relations with Israel, after Egypt in 1979 and Jordan in 1994.
Turkey’s Foreign Ministry had earlier said Palestinians were right to reject the deal in which the UAE betrayed their cause.
“History and the conscience of the region’s people will not forget and never forgive this hypocritical behaviour,” it said.
“It is extremely worrying that the UAE should, with a unilateral action, try and do away with the [2002] Arab Peace Plan developed by the Arab League.”
