Turkish MPs discuss Mideast in closed session after Erdogan’s Israel claim

Turkey's lawmakers held a closed-door session on Tuesday to discuss the spread of war in the Middle East, a week after President Tayyip Erdogan made an unsubstantiated claim that Israel eventually aimed to encroach on Turkish territory.

Israel has not publicly responded to Erdogan's claim, which analysts and opposition lawmakers say is far-fetched and is intended primarily to deflect public attention away from Turkey's economic woes.

Israel has also not commented publicly on Tuesday's closed-door parliamentary session in Ankara, which is titled "Israel's occupation of Lebanon and developments in the region."

Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmus has said the foreign and defense ministers will make presentations at the closed-door session - which was requested by the opposition - on the risk of the conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon widening further.

NATO member...