Israeli diplomats given two days to leave Turkey
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has given every Israeli diplomat above the level of 'second secretary' two days to leave Turkey. Israeli diplomats in Turkey on Monday were briefed by Turkish officials on a list of sanctions against Israel, and then asked to leave the country by Wednesday.By the way, the threat to take Israel to the International Court of Justice over the Gaza blockade is an empty threat.
Besides reducing Israeli diplomatic representation to second secretary level, the lowest rank in the Foreign Ministry, Today's Zaman reported on Monday that Turkey will bring the legality of Israel's naval blockade on Gaza before the International Criminal Court. Turkey also stated its intent to file suit against the Israeli soldiers and officials involved in the May 2010 Mavi Marmara incident, suspend military agreements between the two countries, support the families of victims, and "take measures to ensure freedom of navigation in the eastern Mediterranean."
Second secretary is the lowest rank in the Foreign Ministry. While all Israeli diplomats above that rank were expected to leave Turkey by Wednesday, diplomats at second secretary level, including the spokesman of the Israeli Embassy in Turkey, were expected to remain in their posts, the Foreign Ministry said.
On Saturday, Israeli officials said Turkey’s threat to take Israel to the International Court of Justice in The Hague following Friday’s release of the Palmer Commission report is a “pistol firing blanks,” pointing out that the court only adjudicates issues brought to it by two disputing states, or referred to it for an advisory decision from the UN.Heh. Maybe Turkey will try to sanction New Zealand and Colombia (the other two countries whose representatives were on the Palmer Commission).
Israel won’t agree to go to the court, the official said, and the UN will be hard-pressed to ask for an advisory opinion after a UN body, the Palmer Commission, found that the blockade of the Gaza Strip was legal, as was Israel’s interception of vessels trying to break it.
Labels: Ahmet Davutoglu, Palmer Commission, Turkish obsession with Israel
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 2:41 AM
1 Comments:
I've written to the Turkish embassy in the UK to protest this treatment of Israel, but have yet to receive a reply.
I find it bizarre to note the difference between reality and perception in the middle east. The Times of London sees this as evidence of Israel's "increased isolation", when the reality - as seen by diplomats and politicians - is that it's Turkey that's isolating itself, bringing its reliability in NATO into question and destroying any hopes of future EU membership.
A shame, because Turkey is a nice country, but the current government is playing that old failed game - project regional power and influence by bullying Israel. It doesn't work.
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