Israeli army leader to visit Turkey

Amnon Shahak, the Israeli forces' leader, is expected to visit Turkey this month in a further sign of deepening military cooperation between the two countries, an army official said yesterday.

Turkey's closer links with Israel have drawn protests from Iran and most Arab states. A joint naval exercise between Turkey, Israel and the US due to be held in November in the eastern Mediterranean was put off to a later date last week.

Iran and Syria slammed the exercises as a threat to regional security, Al Ahrar daily reported today.