International condemnation: Turkey's prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been strongly criticised after branding Zionism 'a crime against humanity' Turkey's prime minister, has been strongly criticised after branding Zionism 'a crime against humanity.' Recep Tayyip Erdogan told a United Nationals forum this week: 'As with Zionism, anti-Semitism and fascism, it is inevitable that Islamophobia be considered a crime against humanity.' New U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is expected to take Turkey's prime minister to task for the 'objectionable' comments during his visit to the country. Kerry, on his first trip to a Muslim nation since taking office, is meeting Turkish leaders for talks meant to focus on Syria's civil war and bilateral interests from energy security to counter-terrorism.
@highlight
Comments made by Tayyip Erdogan at a U.N. meeting in Vienna this week
@highlight
Condemned by his Israeli counterpart and Ban Ki-moon
@highlight
John Kerry found Mr Erdogan's remark 'objectionable'
'Not that long ago (you) had these two countries demonstrating that a majority @placeholder country could have very positive and strong relations with the Jewish state and that was a sign for the region (of what was) possible.'
@placeholder, too, has been reluctant to provide weapons, fearing direct intervention could cause the conflict to spill across its borders.