Syrian President Bashar al-Asad said on Monday that Israel's attack on ships carrying aid to Gaza was "a murder".

"Peace in fact is like an inflamed wound for Israel. Touching the wound hurts. Turkey pressed its finger on this wound," al-Asad said while speaking at a joint news conference with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

"This is not only a murder but at the same time reflects Israel's nature," he said, adding that, "I have never heard throughout the history that a Turkish citizen attacked an Israeli citizen. It was known by everybody that it was a Turkish ship. Then, Israel committed this crime on purpose."

Al-Asad said Turkey exerted efforts to restore peace in the Middle East, noting that, "Turkey's initiatives and role and at the same time Syria's support to Turkey's initiative displayed Israel's stance. It was revealed that it was Israel not Syria that hindered peace."

Al-Asad said Syria would support that would be taken by Turkey.


AA