Turkish PM slammed for comments on Zionism
Turkey's Prime Minister came under criticism from Israel, Washington and the United Nations.
ANKARA (AFP) - Turkey s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan came under withering criticism on Friday from Israel, Washington and the United Nations for comments branding Zionism a "crime against humanity".
The storm surrounding the comments is likely to dominate Friday s visit to Ankara by the new US Secretary of State John Kerry, who is due to hold talks there on the Syrian crisis.
Erdogan has often attacked Israeli policies in blistering language over recent years, sending relations between the once close allies into free-fall.
On Wednesday, he told a forum organised by the UN in Vienna that: "As is the case for Zionism, anti-Semitism and fascism, it is inevitable that Islamophobia be considered a crime against humanity."
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the comments as "a dark and mendacious statement, the likes of which we thought had passed from the world".
Israel s main ally Washington said the "characterisation of Zionism as a crime against humanity... is offensive and wrong".
"We encourage people of all faiths, cultures and ideas to denounce hateful actions and to overcome the differences of our times," said National Security Council spokesman Tommy Vietor.
A spokesperson for UN chief Ban Ki-moon, who was present when Erdogan made the infamatory remarks at the Fifth Global Forum of the Alliance of Civilisations, also condemned the statement.
"The Secretary-General believes is it is unfortunate that such hurtful and divisive comments were uttered at a meeting being held under the theme of responsible leadership," Ban s office said in a statement.
"The Secretary-General heard the Prime Minister s speech through an interpreter," it said.
"If the comment about Zionism was interpreted correctly, then it was not only wrong but contradicts the very principles on which the Alliance of Civilizations is based."
Once flourishing ties between Israel and its only Muslim ally Turkey deteriorated after Erdogan stormed out of a Davos panel with Israeli President Shimon Peres following Israel s war in Gaza in December 2008-January 2009, telling him: "You know well how to kill people."
Ties between Ankara and Israel reached a low point after Israeli commandos raided a Gaza-bound Turkish aid flotilla in the Mediterranean in May 2010, killing nine Turks on board.
The raid triggered a diplomatic crisis between Israel and Turkey and resulted in the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador from Turkey. Military ties were also cut.
Turkey insists ties will not return to normal unless Israel offers a formal apology, compensates the victims and lifts its blockade of Gaza.
In November, the Turkish premier called Israel a "terrorist state" that "massacres innocent children in Gaza".
