Erdogan: History will not forgive Israel

Turkish PM says alleged Israeli strike in Syria 'is unacceptable to us, against every international law'

Ynet|Published: 02.03.13 , 15:42

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan slammed Israel on Sunday over its alleged airstrike in Syria.

"Anything could happen in the region,” Erdogan said. “Those who treated the Israeli government like a spoiled child should know that history will not forgive Israel’s state structure.”

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The alleged Israeli strike, he said, “is unacceptable to us … It is against every international law.”

Asked about Iran’s strong reaction to Israeli following the alleged attack on Syrian targets, Erdogan told reporters that Iran should first of all “reconsider its attitude against Syria.

“What is Iran doing about Syria? While considering the acts of Israel, Iran at the same time needs to allow for common steps to be taken in the region.”

On Saturday, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu urged Damascus to retaliate following the alleged Israeli attack.

"Why didn't (Syrian President Bashar) Assad even throw a pebble when Israeli jets were flying over his palace and playing with the dignity of his country?" he told reporters on his way to an international security conference in Munich.

"Why didn't the Syrian Army, which has been attacking its own innocent people for 22 months now from the air with jets and by land with tanks and artillery fire, respond to Israel's operation? Why can't Assad, who gave order to fire Scud missiles at Aleppo, do anything against Israel?" Davutoglu added.

Defense Minister Ehud Barak made Israel's first public comments on the alleged attack Sunday.

He brought the issue up at a gathering of the world's top diplomats and defense officials in Germany, initially saying: "I cannot add anything to what you have read in the newspapers about what happened in Syria several days ago."

But, addressing the audience in English, he then added: "I keep telling frankly that we said – and that's proof when we said something we mean it – we say that we don't think it should be allowed to bring advanced weapons systems into Lebanon."

Syrian President Assad also broke his silence on the attack on Sunday, blaming Israel and saying the airstrike was aimed at weakening and destabilizing his country.

Syria's state news agency SANA said Assad made the remarks in a meeting with Saeed Jalili, Iran's national security council secretary, in Damascus.

Assad said after the meeting that "Syria, with the power of its army and adherence to resistance, is able to confront all the current threats and curb any aggression against the Syrian army and its historical and cultural role."