Update - Turkey Calls On Israel To Respect Holiness Of Al-Aqsa

Turkey expects Israel to take steps to reduce tensions which erupted last week, after the Al-Aqsa Mosque was sealed by Israeli forces, Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag said Monday.His remarks came in the capital Ankara after he was appointed as the Turkish government's spokesman.He called on the Israeli government to respect the holiness and historic stature of Al-Aqsa Mosque.Anger has spilled across the West Bank since last week when Israel shut East Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque, venerated by Muslims and Jews -- who call the site Temple Mount -- following a deadly shootout.The mosque was reopened after two days, with Israel installing metal detectors and cameras at its gates.Three Palestinians were killed on Friday in protests against the Israeli measures around the holy site. Three Israelis were also killed in an attack in a settlement in the West Bank. Israel refused to remove the detectors, claiming the security measures were similar to procedures taken at other holy sites around the world.



Soylu calls German counterpart



The city of Jerusalem is sacred to members of all three Abrahamic faiths -- Muslims, Jews and Christians -- and the Al-Aqsa Mosque represents the Islamic world's third-holiest site.Bozdag also took the opportunity to reject media claims that the government had requested information on German firms operating in Turkey as part of its anti-terrorism investigations.Earlier on Monday, Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu called his German counterpart Thomas de Maiziere, to confirm that no German firms were being probed by Turkish investigators over suspicions of supporting terrorist groups.Bozdag added that he could not confirm if Adil Oksuz, suspected of having taken part in the defeated coup last July, was spotted in Germany, adding that the Justice Ministry was looking into the matter.Ankara accuses the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen of having plotted the 2016 coup attempt, which martyred 250 people and injured nearly 2,200 others.FETO is also accused of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police and judiciary.



New deputy PMs



Following the first cabinet meeting on Monday after last week's government reshuffle, Bozdag announced the core responsibilities of newly appointed deputy prime ministers.



On July 19, three ministers were promoted to deputy prime minister positions -- Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag, Defense Minister Fikri Isik and Health Minister Recep Akdag.



Bozdag will now serve as the government's spokesman and be responsible for the Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT) and Anadolu Agency (AA), as well as for the Presidency of Religious Affairs.



Isik will be responsible for following and coordinating reforms and investment in Turkey and will be leading Turkey's Supreme Board of Radio and Television (RTUK).



Akdag will be responsible for Cyprus-related issues and the disaster management agency AFAD.



Hakan Cavusoglu, a lawmaker from the northwestern province of Bursa, was also appointed as a deputy prime minister without having previously held a cabinet position. Cavusoglu will be responsible for running the Alliance of Civilization Project. He will also deal with Turkish communities living abroad, and Turkey's Cooperation and Development Agency (TIKA).



Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Simsek retained his position as one of five deputies to Prime Minister Binali Yildirim and will coordinate economy and the banking sector.



Former Deputy PM Numan Kurtulmus was appointed as Culture and Tourism Minister, and former Deputy PM Nurettin Canikli was appointed as National Defense Minister while Tugrul Turkes and Veysi Kaynak lost their positions as deputy PMs. -