Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu used his opening remarks at Sunday’s weekly cabinet meeting to condemn the deadly terrorist attack Saturday night near the Vodafone Arena in central Istanbul, and to call for Turkey to do the same when Israel is targeted by terrorists as well.
At least 38 people were killed, most of whom were police officers, and 155 others were wounded in the double explosions, which occurred at around 10:30 pm. At least one of the blasts is believed to have been the work of a suicide bomber.
Netanyahu condemned the bombing at the morning cabinet meeting, and said he expects Turkey to likewise condemn all attacks on Israel.
“In the struggle against terrorism there must be a mutuality in condemnation, as well as in thwarting the attacks,” he said. “That is Israel’s expectation from all countries with which it has relations.”
The first explosion in Istanbul came from a moving car that directly targeted police near the stadium, according to a statement by Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmuş at a briefing on Sunday (Dec. 11).
The second blast, a suicide bombing, came 45 seconds later as the terrorist detonated his explosives at across from the stadium at Maçka Park.
Security forces later detonated a suspicious car near the scene in a controlled explosion early Sunday morning, Doğan News Agency reported.