Israeli foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman has compared Turkey with Iran prior to the 1979 Islamic revolution, saying Israel will "not be Turkey's punching bag". Writing in Thursday's Jerusalem Post, Mr Lieberman blamed the crisis in bilateral ties between Jerusalem and Ankara on internal developments in Turkey. "Unfortunately, recent events in Turkey are reminiscent of Iran before the Islamic Revolution led by Ayatollah Khomeini. Like Turkey, Iran was amongst Israel's closest allies and the two nations held good relations between both governments and people." Israel's hard line foreign minister has taken a militant stance against Turkey since the Israeli naval commando raid last May on a Turkish aid boat heading for Gaza, in which nine Turkish activists were killed. Mr Lieberman opposed the move, endorsed by prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, to pay compensation to families of the victims and express regret over the loss of life.