IHH threatens Turkish Jewry

A violent demonstration targeted the Israeli embassy in Ankara on Thursday night, as the IHH terror organization - the group behind the Mavi Marmara terror ship - threatened to exact revenge for what is going on in Gaza  from Turkish Jewry (Hat Tip: Joshua I).

The head of the IHH terror-tied humanitarian NGO behind the infamous Mavi Marmara Flotilla, Bulent Yildirim, told local television station Haber Turk that “Turkish Jews will pay dearly” for Israel’s actions.

“Israel is acting like a spoiled child,” Yildirim said. “Jewish tourists, don’t dare come to Turkey. Tonight and tomorrow we are going to hold a different kind of protest, we do not have patience anymore.”

“The Zionists are putting the future of the Jews in danger, we can not hold back our youngsters anymore,” he said.

At the Israeli Consulate in Istanbul and the Israeli Embassy in Ankara crowds of protesters gathered and shouted anti-Israel slogans.

“Fight! Martyrdom!” they were heard saying in Istanbul. Protesters attempted to enter the building where the Consulate is located three times and lit a fire nearby. Haber Turk described the scene as a “battlefield environment” and rioters were seen throwing stones and bottles at police.

The protesters include members of the Turkish government. 

In Ankara an Israeli flag was removed by rioters and replaced by Palestinian and Turkish flags.

Police were able to push the crowd back at times. Among the rioters were some of the ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) parliament members, according to local reports. After some time, police used tear gas to confront the protesters.

Ankara’s mayor, Melih Gökçek was quick to add fuel to the flames, tweeting about the Embassy, “It will be taken… The despicable murderers’ Consulate has to be kicked out of Turkey. We do not want an Embassy in Turkey of the murderers!”

A Turkish Jewish activist who is familiar with the situation on the ground told The Algemeiner that the environment is not safe for Turkish Jews.

“The Turkish Jewish Community which has been living in Turkey peacefully for over 500 years, is in grave danger for their lives after the escalation of the events in the Middle East,” he said.

I've been to the States twice in the past two months. People there kept telling me how they're getting cheap fares to Israel by flying Turkish Air via Istanbul. I have to wonder why. I'd rather pay a little extra money to be safe and not take the risk of being stuck in Istanbul in this environment.