Turkish-Israeli ties sour further

By Paul de Bendern and Ayla Jean Yackley

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkish-Israeli ties soured further on Saturday after Ankara summoned Israel's ambassador over an army general's comments which the Turkish military said could threaten cooperation between the Middle East allies.

The Foreign Ministry called in Israeli Ambassador Gabby Levy to protest over comments by Israel's land forces commander, reported in the Haaretz newspaper, who criticized Turkey's occupation of northern Cyprus and its conflict with Kurdish separatists.

"The relevant statements of (Major General) Avi Mizrahi are ungrounded and unacceptable and as such we have requested an urgent explanation from Israeli authorities," the ministry said in a statement.

It was the latest sign of tension between Israel and Turkey, NATO's only Muslim member, who maintain close military ties but whose alliance has been strained by Israel's offensive on Gaza.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said Mizrahi's comments, which were made in a speech to a conference, could be interpreted as criticism of Turkey's past. "The IDF spokesperson wishes to clarify that this is not the official position of the IDF," it said.

"The Israeli ambassador was indeed called in and heard the Turkish objection and it was passed on to Jerusalem," a spokesman for Israel's Foreign Ministry said.

Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan last month angrily accused Israeli President Shimon Peres of "knowing very well how to kill" at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

Erdogan told Reuters in an interview late on Friday that he was saddened by the results of the Israeli elections this week, which showed gains by right-wing parties. [nLE212864]

"Unfortunately the election has painted a very dark picture," he said on board his plane during a campaign trip.

Erdogan urged the next Israeli government to look at how it conducted policies and actions toward the Palestinians and to lift an embargo on the Palestinians who he said lived in an "open-air prison." He said Israel's tough stance was failing.

"LOOK IN THE MIRROR"

Mizrahi was quoted by Israeli daily Haaretz as saying Erdogan should have "looked in the mirror" before attacking Peres and that Turkey was not in a position to criticize Israel's occupation of Palestinian lands when it stations troops in northern Cyprus.

He also accused Turkey of repressing its Kurdish minority and massacring Armenians during World War One.

The Turkish General Staff said Mizrahi's remarks were untrue and completely unacceptable and they demanded an explanation.

"The comments have been assessed at the kind of level that could damage the national interests between the two countries," the Turkish armed forces said, suggesting military cooperation could be at stake.