Erdogan made the comments before departing for a visit to Egypt, where he will seek to boost his government's already high standing in the Arab world — a position he has achieved in part by challenging Israel on the world stage.
Erdogan, intent on broadening Turkey's influence in the Middle East and the Arab world, will also visit Tunisia and Libya, two other countries where popular uprisings have ousted autocratic leaders.
Erdogan told Al-Jazeera television in a recent interview that the Israeli raid, which killed eight Turks and a Turkish American on board a Turkish ship trying to break Israel's naval blockade of Gaza, occurred in international waters and was "unlawful." His comments were carried by Turkey's state-run Anatolia news agency late Sunday.
"It is a cause for war, but we decided to act in line with Turkey's grandeur and showed patience," Erdogan said.
Israel has expressed regret for the loss of lives aboard the flotilla and said Tuesday it was time for the two countries to restore their former close ties.
Turkey has been angered over Israel's refusal to apologize for the raid.
In response, Turkey this month suspended its military ties with Israel, expelled top Israeli diplomats, pledged to campaign in support of the Palestinians' statehood bid and vowed to send the Turkish Navy to escort Gaza-bound aid ships in the future.
On Monday, Turkish newspaper Sabah said three navy ships have begun preparations ahead of their deployment in the east Mediterranean to escort ships that would carry aid to the Gaza Strip in the international waters. Turkey's military would not comment, and Turkey's Foreign Ministry said it had no information on any possible deployment. Sabah did not say when the ships would set sail.
Erdogan's visit to Egypt coincides with increasingly troubled ties between Cairo and Israel following an attack on the Israeli Embassy there. Israel fears that it is being left increasingly isolated by the Arab Spring, which is changing the power dynamics in the region, alongside tense relations with former ally Turkey.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas was also in Egypt to consult with Arab officials days before he submits a formal request to the United Nations to accept Palestine as its 194th member state.
Abbas was also to meet EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton in Cairo.
Abbas was also to attend the Arab League Follow-Up Committee devoted to the Palestinian-Israeli crisis and brief its members on preparations to request UN membership for Palestine.
Washington said it would veto any bid to the Security Council, arguing that a Palestinian state should be created only through negotiations.
If that happens the Palestinians say they will turn to the General Assembly, where they expect to easily win votes to upgrade their representation from current observer status to non-member state.
