Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan said Ankara has no intention of suspending ties with Israel despite its harsh criticism of the latter's offensive in Gaza, Anatolia news agency reported Saturday. Babacan also cast doubt on how efficient a truce would be if Israel took a unilateral decision to halt its operation in Hamas-controlled territory.
"We deem it important for the communication channels to remain open. If the problem is to be resolved this will happen through dialogue," Anatolia quoted Babacan as saying late Friday. Cutting ties with Israel "in order to satisfy certain circles or in the name of populism will harm the region," he said.
The minister admitted that Turkey had "a different tone of speaking (to Israel) when compared to the past, but this does not mean an alienation."
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has vehemently criticised Israel's bloody offensive in Hamas-run Gaza, calling it "savagery."
"A durable, sustainable ceasfire requires the consent of all parties. A unilateral ceasefire will not yield results," Babacan said. Hamas' rocket attacks on Israel cannot be justified, but the Palestinian movement "cannot be considered simply as an armed group of several thousand men," he said, stressing that Hamas had popular support.
The minister said Turkey had presented a new truce proposal to the parties Friday. According to him, the goal was to secure the withdrwal of Israeli forces from Gaza, the securing of Gaza's border with Egypt and the lifting of Israel's blockade of Gaza.
© 2009 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
