Erdogan Attacks Arab States for Stance on Trump Mideast Plan
Erdogan Attacks Arab States for Stance on Trump Mideast Plan
(Bloomberg) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan attacked leading Arab states for failing to criticize Donald Trump’s recently unveiled plan for the Middle East, a blueprint that’s heavily favorable to Israel.
Turkey rejects the proposals which, if implemented, would amount to stealing Palestinian lands, Erdogan told lawmakers of his ruling AK Party in Ankara.
While no Arab government has expressed outright approval of Trump’s blueprint to solve a decades-old dispute between Israel and the Palestinians, regional powers Egypt and Saudi Arabia refrained from criticizing it, and the United Arab Emirates said the proposal was a “serious initiative” and a starting point for negotiations.
Erdogan’s intervention underscores the growing rift between Turkey and many of the Arab states to its south. Earlier this week, he slammed Abu Dhabi for supporting a military commander that’s fighting against the UN-backed government in Libya.
“I feel pity for ourselves when I look at Islamic countries’ behavior. Mainly Saudi Arabia -- you are silent,” Erdogan said Friday. “Everyone who encourages Israel will be responsible for the grave consequences” of the plan’s possible implementation.
Critics of the Trump road map say it’s a non-starter aimed chiefly at domestic political audiences in the U.S. and Israel, where the U.S. President and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are both locked in legal wrangling ahead of elections. Palestinian leaders weren’t involved in preparing the plan and have rejected it.
To contact the reporter on this story: Firat Kozok in Ankara at fkozok@bloomberg.net
To contact the editors responsible for this story: Riad Hamade at rhamade@bloomberg.net, Onur Ant, Mark Williams
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