Turkey withdraws invitation to Israeli energy minister over Gaza, Al-Aqsa attacks

Duvar English

Turkey has withdrawn its invitation to Israeli Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz to attend a conference in the Mediterranean province of Antalya due to the recent Israeli attacks in Jerusalem and Gaza, state-run Anadolu Agency reported on May 11.

Steinitz was invited to Turkey for the Antalya Diplomatic Forum which will be held in June.

Steinitz's visit would have marked the first time an Israeli government official has visited the country since Turkey recalled its ambassador to Israel in 2018.

The invitation had signaled a thaw in frosty relations between the two countries, which have been strained since the 2010 Mavi Marmara incident when Israeli commandos killed 10 Turkish activists.

Turkey's move to withdraw the invitation came following the Israeli aggression towards Palestinians at the al-Aqsa Mosque compound.

Israel later launched airstrikes on Gaza in a deepening conflict in which at least 28 Palestinians were killed.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry on May 11 condemned the Israeli airstrikes, saying: “It is clear that Israel's aggressive and provocative policies will not contribute to the efforts towards ending violence and prevailing dialogue and reconciliation in the Middle East.”

A day earlier, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke to Middle East leaders about the rising violence.

Erdoğan spoke by phone with King Abdullah of Jordan, Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Sabah, as well as Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. 

According to a statement from his office, Erdoğan told King Abdullah that the "inhumane" attacks against Palestinians were aimed at all Muslims, adding that Turkey and Jordan needed to work together to stop them.