A diplomatic tussle is quickly unfolding between Ankara and Cairo after outspoken Turkish ¨Prime Minster Recep Tayyip Erdogan criticized the Egyptian government’s role in negotiating a cease fire agreement between Hamas and Israel. The criticism was not well received in Cairo and led to the summoning of the Turkish Chargé des affaires.
Last week, Egypt urged both Hamas and Palestine to halt the exchange of fire from Tuesday onwards but the call didn’t yield any fruit. Prime Minster Erdogan said Egypt is an unreliable partner in negotiations regarding a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel. He also labeled the country’s newly elected President, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, as a tyrant.
His comments were not welcomed in Cairo thereby leading to the Foreign Ministry’s summoning of Turkish diplomatic mission Chargé des affaires for a hearing. In a statement released by the ministry, Erdogan’s comments were condemned. The foreign ministry told Ankara’s chargé des affaires that it “rejected and resented” their Prime Minister’s remarks towards their nation and government.
Turkey and Qatar are both regional rivals of Egypt and have good relations with the militant Hamas rulers of Gaza, which rejected an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire. The failure of a truce has led to more confrontations between Israel and Hamas; and the death toll of civilians continues to rise in Gaza. French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius, in Cairo earlier this week, said he is lobbying Turkey and Qatar to pressure Hamas into accepting a ceasefire.
This is not the first time Ankara and Cairo get involved in the exchange of words. Last year, both countries recalled their respective ambassadors after the Al-Sisi led military coup d’état. Turkey enjoyed smooth relations with Egypt when Mohammed Morsi was in power but his tenure lasted for only a year.