Turkish gov only considers partisan interests in Israel ties

Senior Iranian expert in international relations, Majid Safataj says military and economic relations between Israel and Turkey have always run at best levels, adding the recent tense relations between the two sides were developed under the pressure of the public opinion.

Safataj was speaking to the Qods News Agency (Qodsna) in Tehran.

He noted that the ruling justice and development party “has never adopted any practical measures to cut ties with the illegitimate and expansionist regime of Israel.”

The expert said the existing differences between Ankara and Tel Aviv have never been brewed by the political or ideological tenets of the Turkish government.

The expert touched on the Israeli attack on the Gaza-bund, siege-busting Marmara ship and said the government of Recep Ttayyip Erdogan only suspended ties with Israel and never talked of any hostile policy towards the invader against usual expectations.

“The conduct means that the Turks fundamentally consider their business and partisan interests in their relations with Israel rather than the higher interests of their country or the interests of the majority Muslim population of Turkey,” he said, adding Erdogan used the attack as an excuse t play with the Muslim public opinion in the Palestinian issue.