MK sport Turkey, on Aug. 9, 2020. Erdogan said on Sunday that Turkey has become the third country to develop vaccines locally against COVID-19 after the United States and China, according to the World Health Organization. (Xinhua)" src="https://www.globaltimes.cn/Portals/0/attachment/2020/2020-08-10/415331b5-a43d-4148-b14f-ef0c1b2a7fd7.jpeg" />

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. File photo: Xinhua

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that Turkey has officially severed relations with Israel, Newsweek reported on Wednesday citing reports from Turkish media. 

According to Newsweek, news outlet Medya Ege reported Erdogan to have said, "We, as the State and Government of the Republic of Turkey, have cut off relations with Israel. We do not have any relationship with Israel at this point. Period." 

Erdogan made these comments to journalists aboard his plane following his recent visits to Saudi Arabia and Azerbaijan. Erdogan highlighted his condemnation of what he termed genocide in Gaza and Lebanon, according to Newsweek. 

He emphasized the urgent need for humanitarian aid and an immediate ceasefire, "As you know, intense efforts are being made to keep the pressure on Israel alive and to take coercive measures against this country on the basis of international law We show it," he is reported to have said. 

Given the past disagreements between Turkey and Israel over the Palestinian issue, as well as Turkey’s strong discontent with Israel since the new round of Israeli-Palestinian conflict started, Erdogan’s remarks, if confirmed, do not appear to be a momentary impulse but rather a result of accumulated grievances, Liu Zhongming, a professor at the Middle East Studies Institute of Shanghai International Studies University, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

The tensions between Turkey and Israel are mostly at the diplomatic level and have not extended to the security or military level, Liu said. He further noted that with Trump administration's coming Middle East policy adjustment, there could be more changes in the regional geopolitical landscape.