WASHINGTON, United States: The United States called on Turkey and Israel on Monday to resolve their differences after Ankara vowed to freeze trade in an attempt to force a ceasefire in Gaza.
Both are allies of ours and we would encourage them to overcome their differences, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said when asked about the trade freeze.
He declined further comment. The United States is often cautious about public comments on Turkey after past rhetorical spats quickly escalated with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Erdogan, a fierce critic of Israel, said on Friday that Turkey would try through a trade boycott to “force Israel to agree to a ceasefire” and increase aid.
Turkey is one of the few Muslim-majority countries to recognize Israel, and Erdogan has faced domestic criticism for not acting sooner.
