Turkey should put the brakes on its flourishing relations with Israel, Palestinian Information Minister Yasser Abed Rabbo said Sunday, ahead of a visit to Ankara by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon scheduled for Wednesday.
"I do not want to interfere in Turkey's affairs, but improving relations with the incumbent Israeli government will not help us," Abed Rabbo was quoted by AFP as telling the Turkish Anatolia news agency in the West Bank town of Ramallah.
"Still we believe that Turkey will not follow a policy against our interests," he added.
Turkey has been Israel's main regional ally since 1996 when the two states signed a military cooperation accord, much to the anger of most Arab countries and Iran.
But Ankara also maintains full-fledged diplomatic ties with the Palestinians and supports their demand for statehood.
The Turkish government has recently blasted Israel for using excessive force against the Palestinians.
Abed Rabbo urged Ankara to push Sharon "to put an end to the crimes against humanity he is committing against the Palestinian people, to engage in political negotiations and to allow international observers," according to Anatolia.
"I hope Turkey will put maximum pressure on Israel on these issues... what Sharon wants is an all-out war," he said.
Meanwhile, Sharon told CNN-Turk in Jerusalem that he expressed his country's expectations that Turkey could persuade Arafat to bring about peace.
When asked whether the strategic partnership between Turkey and Israel might cause disturbances in the region, Sharon said that he wished that he would not be asked not to visit Turkey, the Turkish Daily News quoted him as saying.
"I hope that you would not ask me not to come to Turkey, because I am very much excited that I would come to Turkey," Sharon said, according to the paper.
"Look, I think that the relationship between Turkey and Israel might be named as an alliance of democracies. This alliance is very important. But this relationship is not against anyone. Turkey and Israel do not combine their forces for attacking third parties. Neither Israel nor Turkey have such an intention. Just the contrary, the two countries are taking measures against common threats, such as terrorism," Sharon said.
Admitting the fact that the relationship had improved speedily in the last years, Sharon said that looking back on history was necessary, too.
"First of all, I am Jewish. After the Jews had been taken out of Spain in the 15th century, Turks opened their doors to us. And the Ottomans were here for 400 years, which passed in welfare and peace. The Jews did not forget all this," the hardliner said – Albawaba.com
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
