Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Thursday that warships of his country could be sent to the Eastern Mediterranean at any time and Israel could not do whatever it wants there, escalating a war of words over the 2010 killing of Turkish activists. Ties between the two regional powers have deteriorated sharply since Israeli naval commandos raided the Mavi Marmara, a Turkish ship carrying aid to the Palestinian Gaza Strip. “Israel cannot do whatever it wants in the eastern Mediterranean. They will see what our decisions will be on this subject. Our navy attack ships can be there at any moment,” Erdogan told a news conference shortly after arriving in Tunis.
Asked if Turkey was prepared to protect any future aid ships, he said: “On the point of navigation in international waters, we will ensure protection at any time of our ships, which can go to other places, not just Gaza.” Turkey’s warnings come at a time when Israel is looking to exploit recently discovered offshore gas fields in the area, party in partnership with Cyprus. Turkey recognises only the breakaway Turkish Cypriot northern part of the island, and has objected to Cyprus’s plans.