Israeli PM holds talks in Turkey

Mr Olmert wants Turkey to help put pressure on Iran

The Israeli Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert, is holding talks in Turkey, his country's main regional ally.

The talks are expected to cover the conflict with the Palestinians and fears about Iran's regional ambitions.

The Turkish PM, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has accused Israel of raising regional tensions by digging near the al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem.

Mr Olmert said he would show his host photographs of the work to alleviate his concerns.

"We will not touch any place that is sensitive to Islam," he told the Turkish newspaper Milliyet.

Turkish officials said Ankara had offered to mediate to help start talks between Syria and Israel.

Some Turkish protesters called Mr Olmert a "murderer"

Mr Olmert told Milliyet he thought Turkey and other countries might need to review their ties with Iran, and suggested that economic sanctions would force Iran to review its nuclear programme.

Bilateral trade, which currently stands at more than $2bn (£1bn), is also likely to feature in the discussions.

On Wednesday, hours before Mr Olmert's arrival, several hundred Turks demonstrated against his visit to Ankara and Istanbul.

He will return home later on Thursday.