Erdogan: Israel Ordered Gaza Attacks as Election Move

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday accused Israeli officials of having ordered the air strikes on the Gaza Strip that left 23 Palestinians dead as an electoral move ahead of January's general election.

"Once again this time, they're on the eve of an election," Erdogan told reporters, recalling Israel's "Cast Lead" Gaza offensive which began just six weeks before the 2009 election.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is running for re-election in the early general election set for January of next year.

"Ahead of this (new) vote, the current leadership once again chose the route of striking these innocent people of Gaza for made-up reasons," Erdogan said, quoted by the Anatolia news agency.

Erdogan said he would discuss the attacks with U.S. President Barack Obama and added that he had also requested an interview with Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.

"I hope we put an end to Israel's aggressive attitude, whether it's through a decision by the U.N. Security Council or by a stance adopted by the world's major powers," he said.

Relations between Turkey and Israel, one-time allies, have been tense since a 2010 Israeli commando raid in international waters on a Turkish vessel that was taking aid to Gaza.