Erdogan-'Tensions Show Signs Of Spreading To Golan'

Wires carrying comments from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan claiming that "Middle East tension shows signs of spreading to Golan", referring to the disputed Israeli-controlled Golan Heights region on the Israeli-Lebanese-Syrian border. Erdogan is likely referring to the missile attacks by Hezbollah on Israeli forces in the north of the country (for more info see 0937BST bullet)

• The Turkish president has been critical of both Israel's actions in Gaza, but also the United States in its show-of-force response to Hamas' attacks. Erdogan asked "What is the US aircraft carrier doing in Israel?", referring to the dispatching of the USS Gerald Ford Carrier Strike Group to the Eastern Mediterranean on 8 October.
• Turkey is a long-term supporter of the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. Ankara had been in the midst of a thaw in relations with Israel in recent months, with the prospect of Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu visiting Turkey in the near future raised following the first in-person meeting between the two on the sidelines of this year's UNGA in NYC. The ongoing Israeli bombardment of Gaza could well put relations back into the deep freeze.
• Erdogan: "We openly oppose the killing of civilians on Israeli territory. We also do not accept the indiscriminate massacre of innocent people in Gaza by being subjected to constant bombardment....Israel should not forget that if it acts like an organization rather than a state, it will eventually start to be treated like an organization.."