TURKEY MAY SUSPEND TIES WITH U.A.E. OVER ISRAEL

ISTANBUL Turkey is considering suspending diplomatic ties with the United Arab Emirates and withdrawing its ambassador over the Gulf state’s accord to normalize ties with Israel, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday.

The Turkish foreign ministry said history would never forgive the U.A.E.’S “hypocritical behaviour” in agreeing to such a deal, which recasts the order of Middle East politics.

Under the U.s.-brokered deal, the first between Israel and a Gulf Arab country, the Jewish state agreed to suspend its planned annexation of areas of the occupied West Bank. Palestinian leaders have denounced it as a “stab in the back” to their cause.

“The move against Palestine is not a step that can be stomached. Now, Palestine is either closing or withdrawing its embassy. The same thing is valid for us now,” Erdogan said, adding he gave orders to his foreign minister.

“I told him we may also take a step in the direction of suspending diplomatic ties with the Abu Dhabi leadership or pulling back our ambassador,” he said.

Turkey has diplomatic and trade ties with Israel, but relations have been strained for years.