Merkel hits back at Turkey’s claim that she’s ‘hiding terrorists’

“It was decided that until the things we have said are fulfilled, the Dutch ambassador will not be allowed to return”, Kurtulmus said after a cabinet meeting in Ankara. Turkey also announced the exclusion of Dutch diplomats from its airspace, and its government has called on parliament to denounce the friendship treaty existing between the two countries, while high-level bilateral meetings are put to a halt.

Speaking at a rally in western Yalova, Yildirim said: “The attitude of the Netherlands yesterday [Saturday] towards Turkish family Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya is unacceptable”.

Erdogan also accused German Chancellor Angela Merkel of attacking Turkey the same way Dutch police used dogs and water cannons to disperse Turkish protesters outside the consulate in Rotterdam. “We have a lot of investments there, we’re first or second at that level, so I understand they’re not targeting that”, he said.

Erdogan has drawn condemnation for accusing The Netherlands of acting like Nazis in banning his ministers from holding rallies.

The move fuelled a fierce row that spilled over into violence in the port of Rotterdam where Cavusoglu was to speak.

When questioned about “sounding like Geert Wilders”, she replied: “We have to stand together with the secular more liberal Turks and show people here, the Dutch people, we can be very Dutch, we feel Dutch but we can also be very Turkish in a positive way”.

Mr Erdogan vowed to retaliate against the Netherlands after claiming “Nazism is alive in the West”.

It could be that the Dutch public admire the tough stance of Mark Rutte’s government and decide that the Dutch mainstream is indeed up to the challenges that mass immigration from Turkey and other Muslim majority countries has brought to their country.

President Tayyip Erdogan is campaigning for support of an April 16 referendum on boosting his powers and has been looking to the large number of Turks living in Europe to help secure victory.

“You can stop our foreign minister’s plane all you want, let’s see how your planes will come to Turkey from now on”, Erdogan said at a rally in Istanbul.

Addressing an audience in Ankara, Erdogan said earlier: “Nobody should try to give us lessons in civilization”.

In response, Turkey’s Family Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya chose to go to Rotterham by road from Germany.

Erdogan responded in typical Erdogan fashion, which was to bash Germany for what he called “Nazi practices”, and threaten the Netherlands with sanctions, warning ominously “you will pay the price”.