Isreal warns against Erdogan's visit

Israel warned on Monday that the Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan''s considered visit to Gaza Strip would be a diplomatic mistake. Jerusalem Post quoted Israeli officials saying that Erdogan''s visit would affect Turkey''s relations with the US. Turkish media sources said that the Turkish deputy prime minister said that Erdogan would possibly cross into Gaza at the Rafah crossing after making arrangements with the relevant Egyptian authorities. The announcement came as diplomatic relations between Turkey and Israel were severely strained following the release of the Palmer Commission report on the raid of the Mavi Marmara and Israel''s refusal to answer Ankara''s insistence that it issue an apology for the incident. Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu announced at a press conference on Friday, that Ankara was expelling Israel''s ambassador, and freezing all military agreements. He also said Turkey would take measures for freedom of maritime movement in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, no longer recognize the Gaza blockade, and support "flotilla victims" who take the matter to court. Israel has also recently experienced tension in its relations with Egypt following the deaths of five Egyptian soldiers during a firefight between the IDF and terrorists during last month''s Eilat terror attacks.