Israel Matzav

Israel pulls all diplomats from Turkey, blames Erdogan for violence

In the wake of violent riots outside Israel's diplomatic installations in Turkey, Israel has pulled its entire diplomatic staff from the country. Our government is blaming President Hussein Obama's Best Friend Forever - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan - for the violence.

Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman announced Friday that he would be retracting much of the Israeli embassy staff in Turkey following the senseless riots, citing safety concerns and growing anti-Israel incitement from the Turkish leadership. 

"Foreign Minister (Avigdor) Lieberman issued a statement... following the demonstrations and instructed the Israeli consulate and embassy to reduce their diplomatic staff in Turkey," an Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman told AFP, without stating the numbers concerned.

Liberman instructed the Foreign Ministry to clarify to the Turkish government that such incitement is unacceptable.

"Israel protests strongly this violation of diplomatic relations, including the Vienna Convention and others, which have been encouraged by the Turkish authorities during these protests," he said. "We attribute the responsibility for the safety of Israeli citizens and embassy staff on the Turkish government."

The move follows a number of inflammatory and anti-Semitic hate slurs from Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has become increasingly vocal against Israel after the IDF moved to protect millions of Israelis from Hamas rocket fire.

Read the whole thing.  I don't know why any Jew would want to visit - let alone live in - Turkey.

Labels: Ankara, Avigdor Lieberman, Binyamin Netanyahu, Istanbul, Operation Protective Edge, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey, Turkish anti-Semitism, Turkish obsession with Israel

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 3:48 PM