27/01/2010
ANKARA, Turkey -- Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said on Tuesday (January 26th) that Turkey has never demonstrated anti-Semitism as a nation and never will. He was responding to a report by the Israeli Foreign Ministry that accused Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan of inciting anti-Semitism through his criticism of Israel's military offensive in the Gaza Strip. "Criticising Israel is not being anti-Semitic. Turkey does not tolerate any demonstration of anti-Semitism or racism," Davutoglu told the NTV channel, stressing that Turkey's priority is to help achieve Mideast peace. (Radikal - 27/01/10; World Bulletin, NTV, AP, Anadolu news agency - 26/01/10)