Erdogan: Israeli general elections painted a very dark picture for region

PanARMENIAN.Net - Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the results of the Israeli elections, showing a jump in support to right wing parties, painted a very dark picture for the future of the region.



"Unfortunately, we have seen that the (Israeli) people have voted for these (rightist) parties and that makes me a bit sad," Erdogan told Reuters. "The election has painted a very dark picture."



"Israel faces what could be weeks of political uncertainty after the elections, dealing a further blow to the peace efforts," he said.



Last Tuesday, the centrist Kadima party won 28 mandates in the election, followed closely by the Center-Right Likud party, which earned 27 seats.



Erdogan, who has repeatedly condemned the Israeli blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip due to the continual rocket attacks against the western Negev, again called on Jerusalem to change its policy and lift the embargo.



"With the ceasefire the embargo should be lifted," he said. "The Palestinian people should be freed from an open-air prison they are living in right now, this is against human rights."