TURKEY: Israeli foreign minister Tzipi Livni says Israel does not want to punish Palestinian people, but recalls Hamas rule as that of a terrorist organisation with which they cannot cooperate

Record ID: 398063

  • Title: TURKEY: Israeli foreign minister Tzipi Livni says Israel does not want to punish Palestinian people, but recalls Hamas rule as that of a terrorist organisation with which they cannot cooperate
  • Date: 29th May 2006
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (English) ISRAEL FOREIGN MINISTER TZIPI LIVNI SAYING: "The road map was adopted by the international community by Israel and by Palestenians but on the first phase o fthe road map the idea was to reach a goal two states solution, on the first phase palestenian have to dismental terrorist organisations, which something they did not do, instead terrorist organis
  • Embargoed: 13th June 2006 13:00
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  • Location: Turkey
  • Country: Turkey
  • Reuters ID: LVAD7KG18VHRA0Y5EWSGDFXO0QTP
  • Story Text: Turkey reassured its ally Israel on Monday (May 29) that it opposed Iran, acquiring nuclear weapons and said it wanted to see the whole Middle East region freed of the atomic threat.
    Turkey was completely against the proliferation of nuclear weapons, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul told a joint news conference with his visiting Israeli counterpart Tzipi Livni, replying to a question about Iran.
    Israel Foreign Minsiter Tzipi Livni has once again defined the Hamas rule in Palestenian territories as a terrorsit organisation and said no one should have blame Israel of not having cooperation with an administration which wants to demolish them.
    "The road map was adopted by the international community by Israel and by Palestenians but on the first phase o fthe road map the idea was to reach a goal two states solution, on the first phase palestenian have to dismental terrorist organisations, which something they did not do, instead terrorist organisation won the election in the palestenian authority, but even before the elections in the Palestenian authority Israel as decided not to wait for the Palestenian to implement for their role, we decided to take some steps, risky steps, to dismental the settlements, even though this is something of the final status, to take our forces out of Gaza strips, even though it was risky" said Livni during press conference.
    "We are willing to take more steps towards two states solution this not the only Israeli interest, this is the interest of the palestenian people, maybe not their leader, wish to demolish the state of Israel and to take it off the map, so excuse me for not cooperating with these kind of leaders" also said she.
    "We don't want to punish Palestenian people for their vote, we dont believe in punishing the people, maybe they did mistake in choosing terrorist organisation as their leader, what we believe that this is part of values, not only for democracy, this part of value as human beings to help the others and to prevent and to avoid humanitarian crisis on the palestenian side" added Livni.
    Turkey is one of the few countries in the Muslim world to have strong trade and security ties with Israel, though the Jewish state expressed concern when senior leaders of Hamas visited Ankara in February after winning Palestinian elections.
    Hamas refuses to accept Israel's right to exist.
    Israel's Livni made no mention of the Hamas visit but she described Israeli-Turkish relations as "excellent". Gul said bilateral trade was poised shortly to double to $5 billion.
    "I believe in open lines between our states, which share the same values of democracy" said Livni, who is also due to meet Erdogan and Sezer later on Monday.
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