Turkey 'completely' rejects US statement on President Erdogan

By Burak Bir

ANKARA (AA) - Turkey's Foreign Ministry on Wednesday completely rejected the US Department of State's statement accusing President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of anti-Semitism.

In a statement, the ministry called on the US administration to make efforts to stop Israel's incessant attacks on Palestinian civilians, instead of leveling false accusations on the Turkish leader.

The concept of anti-Semitism should not be used to cover up Israel's ethnic, religious and cultural cleansing policies, the statement noted.

The US Department of State on Tuesday “condemned President Erdogan’s recent anti-Semitic comments regarding the Jewish people” in a statement.

Erdogan on Monday criticized Israel for attacks on civilians in Gaza and the Al-Aqsa Mosque. He also criticized the US arms sale to Israel.

Accusing Israel of being a "terrorist state" and violating Jerusalem, he also said it was "ruthlessly" bombing civilians in Gaza.

Erdogan said that those supporting Israeli actions in Jerusalem and Gaza would go down in history as being complicit in child murder and crimes against humanity.

At least 219 Palestinians have been killed, including 63 children and 36 women, and 1,530 others injured in Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip since May 10, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

Recent tensions that started in East Jerusalem during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan spread to Gaza as a result of Israeli assaults on worshippers in the flashpoint Al-Aqsa Mosque compound and Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood.

Israel occupied East Jerusalem, where Al-Aqsa is located, during the 1967 Arab-Israeli war. It annexed the entire city in 1980 in a move never recognized by the international community.