Ankara | WTNS | August 15:Turkey may suspend its diplomatic relations with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), or recall its ambassador, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Friday, in response to the UAE’s recent deal with Israel.
Erdoğan told reporters that the UAE’s controversial deal with Israel is problematic and that Turkey stands in solidarity with the Palestinian people.
“I have given the necessary instructions to my foreign minister. We may either suspend diplomatic ties or recall our ambassador because we stand with the Palestinian people. We have not let Palestine be defeated or let it be defeated,” Erdoğan said.
The president continued by saying that Saudi Arabia has also been taking wrong steps in the region, as he also criticized Egypt for cooperating with Israel and Greece.
Earlier on Friday, the Turkish Foreign Ministry condemned the UAE-Israel deal for betraying the “Palestinian cause.”
Israel and the UAE have agreed to normalize relations, U.S. President Donald Trump announced Thursday, in a deal which includes Israel’s pledge to “temporarily” postpone its annexation plan.
The UAE will be the third Arab country to establish diplomatic relations with Israel following Egypt in 1979 and Jordan in 1994.