Turkey’s Fidan says U.S. puts Israel above other regional friends

Turkey’s foreign minister Hakan Fidan said U.S.-Israel ties were “exceptional” and harmed Washington’s standing in the Middle East, in an interview with Qatar’s Al Jazeera and Qatar TV.

“All Gulf countries, Turkey and our president have special relations with the U.S. But in the American political system, relations with Israel are exceptional. Unfortunately, they are placed above ties with other countries in the region,” Fidan said.

He added this undermines U.S. credibility and “offends America’s regional friends.” Fidan said Ankara regularly raises the issue with Washington, stressing that Israeli actions against civilians and expansionist policies affect not only regional but also global security.