Erdogan urges immediate ceasefire in Gaza

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, addressing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said that the conditions in 2012 were different than they were in 2008, Anadolu reported.

Israel attacked on Gaza again in 2008 prior to elections, and now elections are coming again, and Israel is doing the same thing, added Erdogan who spoke at Turkish-Egyptian Business Forum in Cairo on Sunday.

"However," said Erdogan, addressing Netanyahu, "we are not in 2008. We are in 2012 and conditions are different."

As I had told Israeli president before in Davos, Israel knows how to use unproportional force very well, said Erdogan.

In 2008, 1,500 people were killed and 5,000 were wounded in Gaza, added Erdogan.

Erdogan urged Israeli administration and Gaza for a cease-fire.

I address Israeli administration, and Gaza too; a cease-fire should be declared immediately and within 24 hours, Erdogan said.

Erdogan said development of not only politics and foreign policy but also economy and social life in the region was related with solving Israeli-Palestinian issue.

A strong economy both in Egypt and Turkey is related with the stability in the region, said Erdogan.

Erdogan noted that Turkish contractor companies reached a business volume worth of 200 billion USD thanks to projects they undertook in 94 countries, and became world's second after China.

He added that 300 Turkish businessmen were working in Egypt.