Page 6 - aruba-today-20220310

A6 WORLD NEWS
Thursday 10 March 2022
Israel, Turkey vow to heal rift despite sharp differences

By BURHAN OZBILICI and The incident resulted in the
SUZAN FRASER deaths of nine Turkish activ-
Associated Press ists. Relations broke down
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Tur- again in 2018 when Turkey,
key and Israel agreed on angered by the U.S. mov-
Wednesday to rebuild their ing its embassy in Israel
relationship despite their to Jerusalem, once more
differences, as Israel’s Presi- recalled its ambassador,
dent Isaac Herzog became prompting Israel to respond
the first Israeli leader to visit in kind. The two countries
Turkey in 14 years. have not reappointed their
Appearing before cameras ambassadors.
following talks with Herzog, The steps toward a rap-
Turkish President Recep prochement with Israel
Tayyip Erdogan described come as Turkey, beset by
Israeli president’s visit as economic troubles, has
“historic” and “a turning been trying to end its inter-
point” in Turkish-Israeli rela- national isolation by nor-
tions. He said Turkey was malizing ties with several
ready to cooperate with countries in the Mideast,
Israel in the energy sector, including Egypt, the United
adding that the Turkish for- Arab Emirates and Saudi
eign and energy ministers Arabia.
would soon visit Israel for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, right, shows the way to Israel’s President Isaac Herzog Earlier, Herzog arrived at
more talks on increased pose during a welcome ceremony, in Ankara, Turkey, Wednesday, March 9, 2022. the Turkish presidential
cooperation. Associated Press palace in the capital, An-
“Our common goal is to gan said. “I underlined the along with the West Bank ture,” he said. kara, escorted by a Turkish
revitalize political dialogue importance we attach to and Gaza Strip. Turkey and Israel once were mounted color guard. Er-
between our countries the historical status of Jeru- The Israelis and Palestin- close allies, but the relation- dogan and a military honor
based on common inter- salem and the preservation ians have not held substan- ship frayed under Erdogan, guard greeted him as a
ests and respect for mutual of the religious identity and tive peace negotiations to who is an outspoken critic band played the Israeli an-
sensitivities,” Erdogan said. sanctity of Masjid Aqsa,” reach a two-state solution of Israel’s policies toward them for the first time since
Herzog said his visit consti- the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Je- to the conflict in over a de- the Palestinians. Israel also 2008.
tutes a “very important mo- rusalem’s historic Old City. cade. has been angered by Erdo- Herzog arrived on a plane
ment” in relations, allow- Israel captured east Jerusa- Herzog said: “We must gan’s embrace of Hamas, emblazoned with the
ing the countries to “build lem with its Jewish, Christian agree in advance that we the militant group that con- words “peace,” “future”
bridges essential to us all.” and Muslim holy sites — the will not agree on every- trols the Gaza Strip. Israel and “partnership” in He-
Both leaders conceded emotional ground zero of thing, that is the nature of considers Hamas a terrorist brew, Turkish and English.
however, that differences the more than century- relations with a past as rich group. In Istanbul, a group of
remain — not least on the long conflict — in the 1967 as ours.” The countries withdrew their about 150 people, mostly
issue of the Palestinians. Mideast war and annexed “But the disagreements we respective ambassadors members of pro-Islamist
“We expressed the impor- it in a move unrecognized will aspire to resolve with in 2010 after Israeli forces groups, protested Herzog’s
tance we attach to reduc- by most of the international mutual respect and open- stormed a Gaza-bound visit, chanting anti-Israeli
ing tensions in the region community. The Palestin- ness, through the proper flotilla carrying humanitar- slogans and holding ban-
and preserving the vision of ians seek east Jerusalem mechanisms and systems, ian aid for Palestinians that ners calling the Israeli presi-
a two-state solution,” Erdo- as capital of a future state with a view to a shared fu- broke an Israeli blockade. dent a “killer.”q

Philippine authorities seize largest drug

haul this year

Philippine Drug Enforce- antidrug operations across at a news conference Tues-
ment Agency chief Wilkins the country this month that day night, addressing drug
Villanueva said about 160 have led to the arrest of 11 dealers. “We’ll get to all of
kilograms (352 pounds) of suspects and the confisca- you, just wait.”
the suspected stimulant, tion of a large amount of President Rodrigo Duterte
locally called shabu, was methamphetamine, Villan- launched a deadly crack-
discovered in the house in ueva said. down on illegal drugs at
Valenzuela city in metro- About a week ago, po- the start of his six-year term
politan Manila after the ar- lice and anti-drug agents in 2016. The campaign has
In this photo provided by the Philippine Drug Enforcement rest of the Chinese suspect seized 60 kilograms (132 led to the arrest of thou-
Agency Public Information Office (PDEA PIO), a man arranges
bags of seized suspected methamphetamine in Valenzuela and his Filipina companion pounds) of methamphet- sands of mostly petty sus-
city, Philippines Tuesday, March 8, 2022. by law enforcers who pre- amine with an estimated pects and the killing of
Associated Press tended to be drug buyers. street value of more than more than 6,200 others in
If the seized substance, 400 million pesos ($7.8 mil- mostly police-enforced op-
MANILA, Philippines (AP) a home in the capital re- some packed in tea bags, lion) in a raid in Marilao erations that have alarmed
— Philippine authorities gion Tuesday and arrested turns out to be metham- town in Bulacan province Western governments and
seized suspected metham- a Chinese suspect, as the phetamine, it would be the near Valenzuela city, po- human rights groups. The
phetamine estimated to president’s crackdown on largest illegal drug haul so lice said.”We told you to killings have sparked an in-
be worth more than 1 bil- illegal drugs pressed on in far this year. Tuesday’s raid stop but you’re just so hard- vestigation by the Interna-
lion pesos ($19.6 million) at his final months in power. was the latest in a series of headed,” Villanueva said tional Criminal Court. q