Turkey's Erdogan storms out of Davos over Gaza debate
Turkish PM Erdogan, has stormed out of a heated debate at the World Economic Forum in Davos over Israel's offensive in the Gaza Strip.
The Prime Miniister of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has stormed out of a heated debate at the World Economic Forum in Davos over Israel's offensive in the Gaza Strip.
"For me, Davos is over," he said, walking off stage in the final moments of the session. "They would not let me speak," he later added to reporters.
He said Israel knew very well how to kill people and babies.
The Secretary General of the Arab league, Amr Moussa, shook Erdogan's hand as he walked off, passing Israeli President Shimon Peres and Secretary General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon.
Erdogan himself addressed the audience, in which he condemned Israel's disproportionate use of force in its three-week offensive in Gaza, and called for including Hamas, the Islamic movement ruling the enclave, in the political process.
Peres gave a rather long speech, in which he defended the offensive and placed the blame for the bombings on Hamas.
Erdogan told Peres that "you must feel guilty to be so strong in your words," referring to the president having raised his voice loudly during his address.
"You killed people," Erdogan said, adding "the Sixth Commandment says thou shall not kill."
Erdogan said that "You have prime ministers who had said they felt quite happy when they entered in Palestine on tanks."
Erdogan also lashed out at the audience who applauded Peres after his speech: "I also condemn those people who applaud this cruelty. I believe that applauding the people who killed children is a crime against humanity."
The debate moderator refused to allow him to rebut the Israeli president's justification about the war that left a trail of death and destruction.
The premier then walked out, saying Peres had spoken for more than twice as long as he was given, and vowed never to return to Davos.
He said Peres received 25 minutes to his 12.
Amr Moussa, the leader of the Arab League and former Egyptian foreign minister, said Ergodan's action was understandable. He said: "Mr. Ergodan said what he wanted to say and then he left. That's all. He was right," adding that Israel "doesn't listen".
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