Hero's welcome for Turkish PM after he denounces Israel's attack on Gaza
Thousands of Turks gave their prime minister a hero's welcome as he returned from the World Economic Forum in Davos having denounced Israel's attack on the Gaza Strip.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused Israel of "killing children on the beach" during a discussion on Thursday with Shimon Peres, the Israeli president. The Turkish leader then clashed with the panel's American moderator, who tried to cut him off.
As Mr Erdogan quoted the opinions of academics that Israel had become a "raider state", the chairman sought to silence him. Visibly infuriated by this interruption, the prime minister walked off the stage, saying: "I will not come to Davos again". As he left, Mr Erdogan received a congratulatory hug from a beaming Amr Moussa, the secretary-general of the Arab League, who was also on the panel.
Mr Erdogan's central complaint was that he received only 12 minutes to speak, compared with the 25 minutes allowed to Mr Peres. He stressed that this "unfairness" lay behind his decision to leave, not the argument with the Israeli leader.
Mr Peres had reminded the audience that Israel's attack on Gaza was preceded by years of rocket barrages against its southern cities launched by Palestinian fighters. Turning to the Turkish leader, Mr Peres asked: "How would you have reacted to 100 rockets a day landing on Istanbul? What would you have done?"
Mr Erdogan replied: "President Peres you are older than me and your voice is very loud. The reason for you raising your voice is the psychology of guilt. I will not raise my voice that much, you should know that. When it comes to killing you know very well how to kill. I know very well how you hit and killed children on the beaches."
As Mr Erdogan warmed to his theme, the moderator repeatedly tried to silence him, causing the prime minister's departure.
On his return to Istanbul, thousands of Turks feted Mr Erdogan. Waving banners reading "Turkey is with you", they hailed him for defending the country's honour. "I am not a chief of a tribe. I am the prime minister of Turkey. I have to do what I have to do," he said.
Despite this public display of hostility, Turkey and Israel have a close alliance. Thrust together by their shared rivalry with the Arab world, the two countries co-operate closely in every field. Israel's air force has trained inside Turkish airspace and the Ankara government provides an essential point of contact with the wider Middle East.
Until the onset of the Gaza operation, Turkey was mediating peace talks between Israel and Syria. In the wake of Mr Erdogan's departure from Davos, both governments made clear that their alliance would continue.
By David Blair, Diplomatic Editor
30 Jan 2009
Telegraph.co.uk
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Upon his return to Istanbul, Erdogan told a news conference that his anger over the operation in Gaza and Peres' remarks was directed not at Jews, but at the Israeli administration.
"Our people would have expected the same reaction from any Turkish prime minister," he told a news conference at Ataturk airport on Friday morning after speaking to a cheering crowd.
"This was a matter of the esteem and prestige of my country. Hence, my reaction had to be clear. I could not have allowed anyone to poison the prestige and in particular the honor of my country," he said.
"Our reproaches are not against the Israeli people or Jews. Our reproach is totally against the Israeli administration," Erdogan said.
Thousands of people gathered at the Ataturk airport on Friday morning to greet Erdogan, waving Turkish and Palestinian flags and chanting his name. Some supporters shouted "Turkey is with you," and others held signs greeting Erdogan as "a new world leader," the BBC reported.
Meanwhile, Peres and Erdogan spoke by telephone after the debate, in which United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Arab League leader Amr Moussa also participated. During the conversation, the two leaders agreed not to let the incident affect Turkish-Israeli relations, Israel Radio reported.
"I am very sorry for what happened and friends could sometimes have an argument between themselves," Peres told Erdogan during the telephone conversation. "I have always had a great respect for the Republic of Turkey and you as the prime minister. I consider myself as a friend of Turkey and Premier Erdogan."
"We don't want conflict with Turkey. We are in a conflict with the Palestinians," Peres told reporters at the annual gathering of businessmen and political leaders in the Swiss ski resort of Davos.
"I don't see this as a personal or national problem. The relations can remain as they are. My respect [for him] hasn't changed. It was an exchange of views and views are views," Peres said.
Peres said he hoped Turkey would continue to be a moderating force in the Middle East. "Turkey should be an answer to Iran ... they offer a choice
to the Middle East. I hope they will continue to do it," he said.