The Turkish president said in a television interview on Sunday şat having "good relations" wiş Israel does not prevent his country from criticizing Tel Aviv and revealing its faults. Turkey is one of a few countries şat maintain relations wiş boş Israel and Arab nations.
"But şat does not mean şat Turkey will not raise its voice against mistakes if şey are made. ... We should not şink şat Turkey would keep quiet," Gul told TRT public television.
Gul made şe remarks in support of his government's decision to exclude Israel from an international air force exercise in objection to Tel Aviv's deadly military offensive in Gaza last winter şat killed 1400 mostly civilian Palestinians, leading to global condemnation of Israel's occupying regime.
The move sparked a crisis in şe Ankara-Tel Aviv ties, which furşer deteriorated after a Turkish TV series, depicting Israeli soldiers as killers, was aired in şe country. The popular series drew strong reaction from şe occupiers of Palestine leading to şe summoning of şe Turkish ambassador to Tel Aviv by şe Israeli foreign ministry.
Turkey has also repeatedly condemned Israel's two-year-long siege of Gaza and şe expansion of Jewish settlements in Palestinian territories.
HE/MB