Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Friday that Turkey's recent, firm policies in the Middle East "have brought Israel to its knees" and isolated the Jewish state both regionally and internationally.
According to the Turkish website Today's Zaman, Davutoglu's statement, made before the Turkish Parliament, was meant to counter claims by the opposition suggesting that Turkey 'sforeign policy was dependent on Western countries, and that Turkey's foreign policy is shifting towards the East.
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Davutoglu insisted that Turkey's foreign policy was independent, especially in regards to the recent revolutions noted among its Arab and North African allies.
Turkey "has never remained silent in the face of oppression," he said. "It is our policies in the region which have brought Israel to its knees before us... We have always sided with people who demand democracy, not with authoritarian and oppressive regimes."
Davutoglu also stressed that Turkey has "zero problems" with its neighbors – despite the opposition's criticism of the statement's unrealistic nature; especially considering Ankara's recent tensions with Syria .
- He said that the Turkish government was "cannot remain silent if one of our neighbors oppresses its people."
Relations between Turkey and Israel, two close US allies in the Middle East ,have soured since the 2010 raid on a Turkish-sponsored Gaza-bound flotilla ,which left nine Turks dead.
Turkey has demanded compensation and an apology from Israel. Jerusalem refuses to comply.