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Turkey downgrades ties with Israel
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| 1. |
02 Sep 2011 Fri 04:48 pm |
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Turkey downgrades ties with Israel
Ankara expels Israeli envoys and suspends military co-operation ahead of release of UN report into 2010 flotilla raid.
Israel has refused Ankara´s demands for an apology for the raid aboard the Mavi Marmara [Reuters
Turkey has downgraded diplomatic ties with Israel and suspended military co-operation between the countries ahead of the anticipated official release of a United Nations report into Israel´s deadly raid of a Gaza-bound ship.
Ahmet Davutoglu, the Turkish foreign minister, announced the measures on Friday, hours before Ban Ki-moon, the UN secretary-general, was expected to formally receive the report, details of which have already been leaked to the media.
There was no official Israeli comment on the matter.
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"Our aim here is not to hurt our friendship but to return this friendship to its right track"
Ahmet Davutoglu,
Turkish foreign minister
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Turkey has long demanded an Israeli apology over the May 31, 2010, incident aboard the Mavi Marmara in which eight Turkish nationals and an American man of Turkish descent died when the vessel was stormed by Israeli commandos.
The Israeli government has refused several times to make such a gesture.
"Israel, in fact, has misused many of the chances that were given to them and the Israeli government, on the other hand, see themselves [as being] above international laws and human conscience," Davutoglu said as he announced the measures.
Turkey had expelled the Israeli ambassador and lowered diplomatic relations with Israel to second secretary level, recalling all envoys - including the ambassador - above that grade back to Ankara, Davutoglu said.
All military agreements had been suspended, Davutoglu said, and Turkey would bolster its naval presence in the eastern Mediterranean.
"Our aim here is not to hurt our friendship but to return this friendship to its right track," Davutoglu said.
Turkey did not recognise Israel´s blockade on Gaza as legal and would take the matter to the International Court of Justice, he concluded.
The Palmer report
The release of the UN-mandated inquiry into the Mavi Marmara incident, headed by Geoffrey Palmer, a former prime minister of New Zealand, has already been delayed three times, to allow for fruitless rapprochement talks between Israel and Turkey.
A draft of the report obtained by Al Jazeera on Friday stated that Israel´s action was "excessive and unreasonable".
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"Israel´s decision to board the vessels with such substantial force at a great distance from the blockade zone and with no final warning immediately prior to the boarding was excessive and unreasonable," it said.
It said, however, that the six-vessel aid flotilla "acted recklessly in attempting to breach the naval blockade" set up by Israel around Gaza.
The draft also said Israel´s naval blockade of the Gaza Strip was "legitimate", complying with "the requirements of international law".
The inquiry called for Israel to make "an appropriate statement of regret" for the raid and pay compensation to the families of the dead as well as to injured victims.
Turkey and Israel should resume full diplomatic relations "repairing their relationship in the interests of stability in the Middle East," the report says.
Hamas, which controls Gaza, said the inquiry into the flotilla aid bound for Gaza was "unjust" and lacked balance.
Belated apology?
The Israelis have been holding their line that they are not going to comment on this until the report is actually released, Al Jazeera´s Cal Perry reported from Jerusalem.
While Turkey´s downgrading measures are a definite blow to Israel´s foreign relations, Perry said the report recognised the legitimacy of the Israeli blockade of Gaza.
"I think the one positive they can take away from this is that the report declared the Gaza blockade legal," our correspondent said.
"The draft of the report said the Israelis did not act in any illegal fashion, although it said they were overly aggressive when they assaulted the ship."
It is unclear whether Turkey´s actions will prompt Israel to issue an apology, but it might to something similar to its recent expression of "regret" to Cairo over a near-border incident that killed five Egyptian security officers, Perry said.
"I think we can expect to hear something that tries to tread sort of along the middle line."
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Source:
Al Jazeera and agencies
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| 2. |
02 Sep 2011 Fri 11:14 pm |
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Ankara: UN report exposes Israel’s crimes
02 September 2011, Friday / TODAY´S ZAMAN, İSTANBUL
In this May 31, 2010 file photo the Mavi Marmara ship, headed to the Gaza Strip which was raided by Israeli naval commandos in a deadly attack, sails into the port of Ashdod, Israel
| Despite expressing regret that a long-awaited UN report on bloodshed aboard a Gaza-bound protest flotilla last year deemed Israel´s blockade of the Gaza Strip legal, Turkish officials nonetheless maintained on Friday that the report clearly exposes Israel´s crimes. “The report clearly determines the crimes committed by Israeli soldiers and other officials, and voices these crimes,” Turkey´s Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu said at a press conference on Friday. |
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The report, as published by The New York Times, accepts Israel´s position that the naval blockade was a “legitimate security measure.” “By its very nature, it is not possible to accept such an approach,” Davutoğlu said of a part in the report concerning the blockade. According to Ankara, certain paragraphs concerning the way the Israeli army handled the operation during which nine pro-Palestinian activists were killed aboard the Turkish-owned ship the Mavi Marmara on May 31, 2010, actually stand as a record of Israel´s crimes.
“The loss of life and injuries resulting from the use of force by Israeli forces during the takeover of the Mavi Marmara was unacceptable. Nine passengers were killed and many others seriously wounded by Israeli forces. No satisfactory explanation has been provided to the panel by Israel for any of the nine deaths. Forensic evidence showing that most of the deceased were shot multiple times, including in the back, or at close range has not been adequately accounted for in the material presented by Israel,” says the report.
“At least one of those killed, Furkan Doğan, was shot at extremely close range. Mr. Doğan sustained wounds to the face, back of the skull, back and left leg. That suggests he may already have been lying wounded when the fatal shot was delivered, as suggested by witness accounts to that effect,” it says. “No evidence has been provided to establish that any of the deceased were armed with lethal weapons. Video footage shows one passenger holding only an open fire hose being killed by a single shot to the head or throat fired from a speedboat,” it elaborates.
A senior Israeli government official, who had seen the report, told the Associated Press earlier this week that those hit in the back were attacking soldiers when they were shot from behind by other soldiers acting to save their comrades.
Another Israeli official told AP on Friday that the report showed Israel’s actions were in keeping with international law. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Israel hoped the two countries could now “return to the cooperation that was a cornerstone of regional stability.”
“The panel concludes that there has been no adequate explanation provided for the nine deaths or why force was used to the extent that it produced such high levels of injury,” the report maintains, while stressing that Israel’s decision to board the vessels with such substantial force at a great distance from the blockade zone and with no final warning immediately prior to the boarding was “excessive and unreasonable.”
“Non-violent options should have been used in the first instance. In particular, clear prior warning that the vessels were to be boarded and a demonstration of dissuading force should have been given to avoid the type of confrontation that occurred; the operation should have reassessed its options when the resistance to the initial boarding attempt became apparent so as to minimize casualties.”
The report also notes that there was significant mistreatment of passengers by Israeli authorities after the takeover of the vessels had been completed through until their deportation. According to the report, this included physical mistreatment, harassment and intimidation, unjustified confiscation of belongings and the denial of timely consular assistance.
Leak ends US initiative for extension
Leaking of the report to the press ended US efforts aimed at getting another extension for the release of the report by the United Nations. During a bilateral meeting with Turkey’s Ahmet Davutoğlu in Paris on Thursday, when the two attended a meeting on Libya, Hillary Clinton voiced her willingness to postpone the release of the report for a month. In response, Davutoğlu said Turkey would not object to such an extension if UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon agrees to it.
However, when Clinton and Davutoğlu proceeded to the meeting on Libya, excerpts of the report had already been published by The New York Times. Upon this development, the US told Turkey it would be meaningless to ask the UN to postpone its report since excerpts had already been published.
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| 3. |
04 Sep 2011 Sun 09:40 pm |
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Turkey will crucify Israel. They deserved it 
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| 4. |
05 Sep 2011 Mon 12:03 am |
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...
We bluster against Israel at the same time we have agreed to host NATO missile shield...That shield is to protect Israel from Iran...
Most probably our government makes noise just because to hide the truth...
Edited (9/5/2011) by scalpel
[removed f*rt part.]
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| 5. |
05 Sep 2011 Mon 02:05 am |
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"Fart" is obviously not a nice word on a public forum but in the end, there is a seed of truth in your statement.
This world is being run by the almighty Western superpowers and the rest of the smaller Western countries take advantage of the broad classification by dutifully shaping their foreign policies in line with the interests of the US. Pro-western countries like ourselves meanwhile have to pretend standing on the fence just to keep their own citizens happy while giving full support to the same iron clad principles.
In other words, we are in it, traveling on the same train. We don´t have what it takes to put an end to it. This is their high time. They are responsible for most of the evil and good.
Israel presented a point of view to the world. They are the champions of a thought that holds it: you do not have to be powerful to run the world. A tiny country with limited means (apart from those granted by the US) in some desert land has an unprecedented weight in the world´s political affairs. This way, the well-being of a couple of million people can turn a whole region into a blood-bath.
On paper, Turkey is stronger than Israel. A comparison of the navies alone would testify this. However, Israel has nuclear weapons which they can resort to when they feel threatened. Not a big navy, not a big army but creme de la creme of the big weapons.
Turkey will probably not turn this into a hot conflict. Because that would mean the beginning of another world war. What is more Turkey will probably be alone in this. Even the Arabs will not have the guts to side with Turkey. The rest of the Western countries will not buy Turkey´s criticism about powers that be.
There is speculation that Turkey also owns nuclear weapons. Once missiles are fired there is no going back but for now, the show must go on...
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| 6. |
05 Sep 2011 Mon 05:18 pm |
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A real man always farts further than others. 
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| 7. |
05 Sep 2011 Mon 06:29 pm |
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ladies call them
slight explosions between the legs
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| 8. |
06 Sep 2011 Tue 08:13 am |
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Eh, vineyards, sometimes you disappoint me. Your post gives me a feeling as if you wanted a revenge, bloodshed even war on Israel.
You have to remember the Elite (that runs the world) doesnt lack Turkish representatives.
"Fart" is obviously not a nice word on a public forum but in the end, there is a seed of truth in your statement.
This world is being run by the almighty Western superpowers and the rest of the smaller Western countries take advantage of the broad classification by dutifully shaping their foreign policies in line with the interests of the US. Pro-western countries like ourselves meanwhile have to pretend standing on the fence just to keep their own citizens happy while giving full support to the same iron clad principles.
In other words, we are in it, traveling on the same train. We don´t have what it takes to put an end to it. This is their high time. They are responsible for most of the evil and good.
Israel presented a point of view to the world. They are the champions of a thought that holds it: you do not have to be powerful to run the world. A tiny country with limited means (apart from those granted by the US) in some desert land has an unprecedented weight in the world´s political affairs. This way, the well-being of a couple of million people can turn a whole region into a blood-bath.
On paper, Turkey is stronger than Israel. A comparison of the navies alone would testify this. However, Israel has nuclear weapons which they can resort to when they feel threatened. Not a big navy, not a big army but creme de la creme of the big weapons.
Turkey will probably not turn this into a hot conflict. Because that would mean the beginning of another world war. What is more Turkey will probably be alone in this. Even the Arabs will not have the guts to side with Turkey. The rest of the Western countries will not buy Turkey´s criticism about powers that be.
There is speculation that Turkey also owns nuclear weapons. Once missiles are fired there is no going back but for now, the show must go on...
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| 9. |
06 Sep 2011 Tue 07:44 pm |
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If someone bullies you, you do not normally react by self-criticism. The developments in the recent days are all serious affairs that have resulted in implications to the lifes of millions of people on both sides and more seems to be in store for the future.
Israel has adopted a patriotic tone since the beginning. No sane person would tolerate this. We have to show a reaction. Elsewhere, weaker nations lose their complete freedoms and welfare as a result of this show of machoism. It seems that the UN endorses this. All I am saying is this will not change anything. I am not yearning for a war but I am not saying a war never becomes necessary either.
Edited (9/6/2011) by vineyards
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| 10. |
06 Sep 2011 Tue 08:30 pm |
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No one can declare a war to Israel. There is no country more powerful on earth. It would be a suicide.
But I like the tone there is in Turkey´s recent foreign policy. Standing against Israel in this important matter is well noticed especially because of the long peaceful relationships. Arab countries are weak now because of their own problems and the rest of the world tries to turn their eyes to the opposite direction every time Israel breaks the limits of international justice.
Another thing you should be proud of and which I couldn´t help noticing is the humanitarian responsibility that Turkey carries in the area. Turkey opens its borders to Syrian refugees while EU is watching how people escaping from North Africa drown in Lampedusa waters.
Of course there is always more to it than public can see but it´s good to look at the good side of it. This clip is from one year ago but I guess it still holds:
Quote: Today´s Zaman 13 September 2010
The most assertive remarks concerning Turkey’s growing influence on the global stage came from Finnish Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb, who hailed the EU candidate country as “one of the top five countries in the world today” with respect to foreign policy. “Arguably, today Turkey is more influential in the world than any of our member states together or separately,” Stubb said Saturday. “It has a great influence in the Middle East, in the African Horn in the Persian Gulf, in Iran. It’s a truly global player, and we need to work together with Turkey right now on foreign and security policy.”
Edited (9/6/2011) by Abla
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