Erdogan delays Gaza visit over Gezi protests

Turkey’s prime minister says a wave of demonstrations at home have delayed preparations for his planned visit to Gaza.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Tuesday, however, that he intended to press ahead with the visit and could “make a surprise any time.”

Erdogan has long said he wants to visit Gaza, despite concerns by the United States that the visit could strengthen the militant group Hamas, which controls Gaza, and harm Palestinian reconciliation efforts. Washington also fears that the visit could undo a truce it brokered between Israel and Turkey earlier this year.

Erdogan said of the visit, “Gaza is ready. We could not be ready because of the (protests).”

Turkey was hit by weeks of anti-government demonstrations triggered by a heavy-handed police clampdown on peaceful demonstrators.

In March, Erdogan said that his visit to Gaza was to ensure that Israel fulfills its obligation to lift the blockade on the territory, and to make sure Israel holds up its end of the agreement to normalize diplomatic relations between the two countries.

He said that he would also visit the West Bank to monitor the humanitarian situation there and would be accompanied by Turkish relief organizations.