Despite the newest round of violence between Israel and Hamas, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is keeping a measured narrative in his response. “On one side, Israel would wish to normalize its relations with us, on the other side these escalations continue — as long as Israeli aggravation continues, it is not possible to normalize the Turkey-Israel relationship,” he said July 11. “Our conditions were clear: apology [for the 11 dead from the May 2010 Mavi Marmara incident]; compensation and lifting of the blockade to Palestine [Gaza]. I was told that the paper was waiting at [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s] desk, but this [Israeli operation] takes away all of it.”

This was a much calmer tone compared to an Erdogan who lost his temper with Israeli President Shimon Peres in January 2009 at the World Economic Forum in Davos and stormed offstage during a discussion on Gaza, saying, “When it comes to killing, you know well how to kill!"

On July 11, however, Erdogan echoed his old rhetoric, questioning why Hamas’ rockets hadn’t killed any Israelis. “How many Israelis have died? Is there any Israeli who died [by Hamas rockets]? None. But the number of Palestinians killed is almost 100. [Israeli] lives are based on lies. They’re not honest.” 

The Turkish Foreign Ministry also followed a measured rhetoric. Since the conflict started by the abduction of three Israeli teenagers on June 12, the ministry has kept warning both sides to do all they can to prevent further escalation of the violence. “We call on Israel to put an immediate end to its attacks carried out as a method of collective punishment against Gaza, and also call on the international community, including the United Nations first and foremost, to expeditiously intervene and to warn against and urge for the cessation of these attacks,” the ministry's July 8 statement read.