Turkey wants to establish better ties with Israel, but Palestine policy is 'unacceptable': Erdogan

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday said that Ankara wants to establish better ties with Israel, but slammed the Jewish state's policy on Palestine, calling it "unacceptable".

Speaking with reporters, Erdogan also said that Turkey is engaging with Israel at intelligence level, but said Israel's Palestine approach is a "red line" for Ankara.

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"Regarding this matter, our talks with Israel at intelligence level have not been halted. It continues," Erdogan was quoted as saying by news agency Reuters.

"And there is also Israel's Palestine policy which is our red line."

He also said Turkey is facing some trouble with Israel at the top level, and if that would not have been the case their bilateral ties could have been "very different".

Both countries share strong commercial ties, but their relations took a hit in recent years and in 2018 both nations expelled each other's envoys.

Ankara has also been critical of Israel's occupation in the West Bank and the manner in which the Jewish state treats the Palestinians.

Erdogan also said that it is "impossible" for Turkey to accept Israel's policy on Palestine, and said Israel's "merciless" acts and stance on Palestine is unacceptable.

"It is impossible for us to accept Israel's Palestine policies. It is impossible for us to accept Israel's stance against our Palestinian brothers. Their merciless acts there and their stance on Palestinian territory are unacceptable," said the Turkish president.

Israel has this year established ties with four Muslim nations and said on Wednesday that it is working to add another Muslim state in the list.

Previously, Ankara has criticised US-brokered peace deal of Israel with UAE, Morocco, Sudan and Bahrain this year.