Israeli envoy's car pelted with eggs in Turkey

Istanbul, Nov 4 : Israel's ambassador to Turkey was forced to cancel a university visit in the country's Black Sea region Wednesday after a group of students pelted his car with eggs.

Ambassador Gabby Levy was scheduled to visit Karadeniz Teknik Universitesi in the port city of Trabzon where he was met by students protesting Israel's military operation in Gaza earlier this year.

Turkish television showed footage of the students shouting "Israel is a murderer". Police arrested 20 of the protesters, according to the semi-official Anatolia Agency.

Levy, who is on a tour of the region, did not leave his car. During a visit to Rize, another Black Sea city, the ambassador was told by local Mayor Halil Bakirci that he condemned Israel's "policies of expansion and occupation" and said that self-defence should not involve "killing children".

The mayor also told Levy that "due to Israel's policies, we are worried that something undesirable may happen" to Israeli tourists visiting the Black Sea region.

Relations between Turkey and Israel, once close allies, have been strained in recent years, particularly following Israel's Gaza operation. Turkish criticism of Israel's action was particularly harsh.

In early October, Turkey indefinitely postponed an international military exercise because of Israel's planned participation.

--IANS