Turkish Fm: Call To Return Erdogan's Jewish Award 'Wrong'

Turkey's Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu criticized the call by the American Jewish Congress for Turkish Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan to return his 2004 Courage Award.



He said in a televised interview on Tuesday that Erdogan had never changed his stance on the Gaza conflict and would not remain silent because of the award. 



"No award is more important than the lives of our Palestinian brothers. This has become a matter of abuse and it is wrong. It attempts to create a misperception about our Prime Minister," said Davutoglu. 



"Do you think that the Palestinians are not aware of that? They know who sheds tears for them and who stands by with them against the world [over the Gaza conflict]," he added.



Erdogan received the award from the American Jewish Congress in 2004 for his stance on "fighting terrorism and promoting peace."



The American Jewish Congress called on Recep Tayyip Erdogan to return his 2004 Courage Award following his criticism of Israel's aggression in the Gaza Strip. 



Erdogan has repeatedly condemned Israel for its operations in Gaza, accusing it of committing "genocide."



www.aa.com.tr/en - Konya