Relations once more have soured between Israel and Turkey. After it hoped that things would get better after the flotilla raid in 2010, things are back where they were unfortunately.
What is the problem this time?
There have been a number of criticisms by the Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan against the State of Israel, who first of all compared Israel's policies against the Palestinians as akin to that of the "apartheid-era" in South Africa, according to Aljazeera. In addition to stating that the embargo on Gaza by Israel "has no place in humanity", he also criticised the pledge made by Trump to move the US embassy to Jerusalem.
Fighting back
Israel did not hold back in its response. Emmanuel Nahshon, Israel's foreign ministry spokesman, strongly stated that Erdogan is a "serial human rights violator" and should not "preach morality" to the "only democracy in the region". Nahshon went on to say that "Israel consistently protects total freedom of worships for Jews, Muslims and Christians".
However this situation is resolved, it is clear that a resolution is required. Both nations do have more important problems to deal with, namely that of global terrorism. We need to be standing together to thwart the world's problems; not Fighting with each other. It will help nobody going forwards.
