Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak on Monday warned against further harming Israel's relations with Turkey, after Turkey excluded Israel from a joint military exercise because of its criticism of Israel's offensive against the Gaza Strip that killed over 1400 Palestinians, including 420 children and injured more than 5300 others.
"The relations between Israel and Turkey are strategic and have been maintained for dozens of years," Barak said in a closed meeting, according to a statement his press officer released.
He added: "Despite all the ups and downs, Turkey continues to be a central figure in our region; it is unsuitable to be drawn into criticizing it."
The international aerial exercise, which was to include the IAF as well as aircraft and pilots from NATO, was due to be based at an air base in the central Anatolian city of Konya.
On Sunday, Turkey's foreign minister publicly acknowledged for the first time that criticism of the Gaza campaign was the reason for his country's exclusion of Israel from the drill. Asked why Turkey excluded Israel from the exercise, Davutoglu said "We hope that the situation in Gaza will be improved, that the situation will be back to the diplomatic track. And that will create a new atmosphere in Turkish-Israeli relations as well. But in the existing situation, of course, we are criticizing this approach, (the) Israeli approach."
Davutoglu told CNN that instead of the NATO exercise, Turkey would be conducting "a national military exercise now after consultations with all the parties involved."
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