WASHINGTON – As the tensions between Israel and Turkey escalate, senior officials from both countries arrived in Washington on Tuesday for a series of meetings, on the backdrop of the deadly Israel Defense Forces raid on a Gaza-bound flotilla.

The incident prompted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to call off his meeting with US President Barack Obama, which was scheduled to take place at the White House on Tuesday.

A day after leading the move to condemn Israel at the United Nations Security Council, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu was expected to meet with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Tuesday evening in Washington.

During a press conference ahead of the meeting, Davitoglu said he was disappointed with Washington's cautious response to an incident he likened to the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States.

"Psychologically this attack is like 9/11 for Turkey because Turkish citizens were attacked by a state, not by terrorists, with an intention, a clear decision of political leaders of that state," he said.

"The Israelis think they are above any law, but Turkey and the rest of the international community will stop them," he said, comparing between the IDF operation and pirate operating in the Gulf of Eden.

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