Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan today criticised Israel's use of economic sanctions against Palestinians for voting Hamas into power and defended Ankara's decision to hold talks with the militant group.
The decision to host a five-man Hamas delegation last week infuriated Israel, which has close trade and security ties with Muslim, but secular, Turkey.
It also sparked strong criticism from much of the Turkish media and embarrassment among some Turkish diplomats, worried that it could strain Ankara's credibility as a reliable ally of the United States and as a strong opponent of terrorism.
"The result of the [Palestinian] elections has brought a new structure. If we try to tame this new structure by economic methods, this cannot be called democracy," Mr Erdogan told a gathering of his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).
"This would be controlled democracy which would be a disrespect to the Palestinian people," he said in televised remarks.
On Sunday, Israel announced a permanent halt to the monthly transfer of about $50 million in tax revenues it collects on behalf of the Palestinian Authority, saying it would not deal with a Hamas-led government.
Israel and the United States have called on other nations to boycott Hamas until it disarms and recognises the Jewish state and interim peace deals.
Bowing to such concerns, Mr Erdogan himself called off plans last Thursday to meet the Hamas delegation in Ankara, which was led by the group's Syrian-based leader Khaled Meshaal. Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul held informal talks with the delegation.
Mr Erdogan also told his AKP, a centre-right party with roots in political Islam, that Turkey sought a bigger role in the Middle East region.
"Turkey cannot remain just a spectator," he said, stressing Turks' historic experience of governing the region for centuries under the Ottoman Empire until it collapsed after World War One.