In an effort to reduce Turkey’s involvement in Gaza, Israel asked the Trump administration to exclude President Recep Tayyip Erdogan from the Board of Peace (BoP)that the president is establishing, according to two officials familiar with the matter. The issue was raised during talks held in recent weeks between senior Israeli officials and senior Trump administration officials, which focused on the continued implementation of the Trump plan for Gaza.
Israel has vetoed the presence of Turkish troops in Gaza as part of the International Stabilization Force that is to be deployed in the next phase of the Trump plan. The United States president was asked about the issue on Monday at the start of his meeting with Netanyahu at Mar-a-Lago and said, “I think it’s a good thing” (referring to the presence of Turkish troops in Gaza), adding, “Turkey has been great.” The president also said, “I know Erdogan very well, and, as you all know, he’s a good friend of mine. I believe him, and I respect him. So does Netanyahu.”
In recent weeks, Israeli officials have also worked to limit Turkey’s involvement in the reconstruction of Gaza as much as possible. “In Israel, there is concern that Turkish involvement in humanitarian affairs and reconstruction efforts would give Ankara a significant foothold in controlling the Strip,” a source familiar with the talks told The Jerusalem Post. (Read More)
