Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Tuesday he cannot visit Gaza as planned because of the protest movement in his country but that he could “make a surprise any time.”
He has been saying for two years that he will visit the Hamas-controlled region, a trip that would boost the terrorist organization’s stature. However, every time he sets date, another reason comes up that prevents him from coming.
The Obama administration recently pressured Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to make political concessions to Erdogan to end a three-year deep freeze in diplomatic relations, and a visit by Erdogan to Hamas could quickly cause deterioration in ties.