Moshe Ya'alon: Erdogan’s party turned Turkey into Islamic state

“Over the past 8 years the Islamic party led by Prime Minister Erdogan gradually turned Turkey from a democratic secular state into an Islamic state. The army and the Constitutional Court were weakened, an Islamist became President, party supporters headed security services,” Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Moshe Ya'alon told NEWSru.co.il.

In his words, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of the Turkish Republic, realized that Turkey must gradually develop democracy, protecting it from Islamists.

“The Army stood for the protection of democracy. Representatives of Western countries thought it was a violation of democratic norms, especially as the army blocked all attempts of Islamization.

As to current relations between Turkey and Israel, in Moshe Ya'alon’s opinion, after Erdogan came to power, Turkey remained a strategic partner to Israel.

“Both of our countries considered Iran-Syria- Hezbollah-Hamas as a threat. While currently Turkey cooperates with them, which contradicts our interests,” Israeli Deputy Prime Minister stated.