Turkish President Abdullah Gul has told Yedioth Aharonoth that Israel's apology for fighting off the Mavi Marmara terrorists came 'too late.'
Gül, responding to a question by the
Yedioth Ahronoth daily after a meeting of the İstanbul Forum last week,
said: “In order to end this conflict and the difference of opinion
between us, we had certain expectations of Israel. Israel responded to
part of our expectations when it apologized. But this step was taken at a
late stage; Israel apologized too late. Some of our expectations have
not yet been met,” the daily reported Gül as saying.
Turkey withdrew its ambassador from Israel and expelled the Israeli
ambassador in Ankara after the Mavi Marmara raid, demanding a formal
apology, compensation for families of the victims and the lifting of the
Israeli blockade of Gaza to restore ties.
The Israeli daily also reported a Turkish diplomatic advisor as
saying that a breakthrough in the normalization process was not to be
expected in the near future. “As long as Erdoğan is the prime minister
of Turkey, there will not be a change for the positive in relations with
Israel. Erdoğan has lots of complaints against you [Israel] already
from the period of [Ehud] Olmert. When will a reversal in relations
come? Maybe only after the presidential elections in 2014 and the
elections for parliament in 2015, which will decide who will serve as
the next prime minister of Turkey,” the Turkish diplomatic advisor was
reported as saying.
If Erdogan doesn't declare himself 'President for life' by then....
Yet another Obama epic failure at Israel's expense. When will Spinless Binyamin learn?
Israeli diplomat in Turkey invited to official function for the first time since Mavi Marmara incident
An Israeli diplomat, Yosef Levi Sfari, Israel's charge d'affairs at its embassy in Ankara, was invited to an official Turkish function for the first time since he was posted to Ankara in 2011. It was also the first time any Israeli diplomat was invited to a Turkish function since the Mavi Marmara incident. Turkey's Daily Hurriyet tried to tie the story to Prime Minister Netanyahu's apology, but that happened in March. I don't buy that. Let's look at what's going on and then we can discuss why.
Although relations between Ankara
and Tel Aviv are still tense and give no hope of a quick normalization,
the presidency invited a senior Israeli diplomat to the Victory Day
reception held on Aug. 30, in the first such invitation since the Mavi
Marmara crisis of 2010.
Chargé d’affairs of the Israeli Embassy
in Ankara, Josef Levy Safari attended the Victory Day reception, marking
his first appearance in such a state reception.
According to the sources, the invitation was made as Israel officially apologized to Turkey over the killings of nine Turkish citizens on board of the Gaza-bound Mavi Marmara vessel.
Although
the normalization process between the two countries could not be
completed and no ambassadors have been exchanged, the Israeli issuance
of an apology has been seen as sufficient for inviting the chargé
d’affairs to the reception.
Netanyahu apologized six months ago. Turkey has blasted that apology as insufficient many times over, and if that apology had motivated this invitation, it would have happened months ago.
The real reason for the invitation is that Turkey is now a target for Syria, along with Israel. With the West seeking to flee any involvement in Syria, Turkey realizes that it just might need Israel to help it out in a pinch. That's why they're suddenly anxious to mend relations ever so slightly with Israel.
Bipartisan group of US Reps slam Erdogan's anti-Semitism
A bipartisan group of 46 US Representatives has sent a letter to Turkish President Abdullah Gul slamming Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's anti-Semitism.
The letter requested Gül to publically condemn “the anti-semitic rhetoric” of government officials.
The
signatories noted that another letter had been written a few months ago
asking Erdoğan to retract his statements that compared Zionism to a
“crime against humanity,” without success.
They also argued that
Erdoğan’s accusations of an “interest rate lobby” engineering the Gezi
protests were implicitly targeting Jews, recalling that Deputy Prime
Minister Beşir Atalay had openly stated that a “Jewish diaspora” was
behind the recent unrest in Turkey.
The letter was prepared on
the initiative of Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Illinois), Rep. Randy Weber
(R-Texas), Rep. Lois Frankel (D-Florida) and Mark Meadows (R-North
Carolina) and signed by congressmen from both the Democrat and
Republican parties, the report said.
I wonder why they didn't also mention the little Nazi while they were at it.
At the end of the day, Erdogan and Davutoglu are both anti-Semites and they're not going to apologize for it. I'm happy to see the US Congress beginning to recognize and deal with that reality.
“We hope that those who abstained will change their current positions in
a short time and lend their support to Palestine. I have no doubt that
those countries who voted against [upgrading Palestine’s status] will
review their decisions and understand that they cannot maintain their
position continuously,” Gül told reporters during a joint press
conference with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. He particularly
stressed the large majority that had voted to upgrade Palestine’s status
at the U.N. from “observer entity” to “non-member state.”
There is only one response that Israel can give to this type of call. The Prime Minister (our President doesn't have the junk to do this) should call on the United States to recognize the independent state of Kurdistan.
Abu Bluff threatens Israel with International Criminal Court, 'different' actions
'Moderate' 'Palestinian' President Mahmoud AbbasAbu Mazen is in Turkey, where he addressed Israel's plans to build 3,000 housing units in 'east' Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria as well as the planning for E-1 between Jerusalem and Maaleh Adumim. Abu Mazen is threatening to take Israel to the International Criminal Court over the 3,000 units, and he's threatening 'different' actions - about which he did not elaborate - in connection with E-1, which he regards as an 'act of aggression' and a 'red line.'
Let's go to the videotape.
I'm surprised that Abu Mazen and Abdullah Gul didn't start out with Heil Hitler.... But it was so nice (not!) to see the little Nazi all the way over on the left of the Turkish cabinet....
Unfortunately, the video did not give us any of Abu Bluff's threats, but JPost did. JPost's headline, which says that Abu Mazen threatened to take Israel to the International Criminal Court over E-1, appears to be wrong based on the text in the article:
The Palestinian Authority may file charges against Israel with the UN's
International Criminal Court [ICC] over the Israeli government's decision to
build 3,000 housing units in Jerusalem and the West Bank, PA President Mahmoud
Abbas was quoted Tuesday as saying.
"We are not very inclined to resort
to this path, but if Israel insists on its unacceptable plan, then we will use
other methods," Abbas said during a joint press conference with Turkish
President Abdullah Gul in Ankara.
"If Israel continues in this way, we will
respond with all means - of course peaceful ones - including the possibility of
going to this court." Abbas said that if Israel chooses peace, it will find the
Palestinians fully prepared. "But if Israel chooses settlements, especially in
E1, then we will act differently," he said with our elaborating.
Abbas
denounced the Israeli plan as an "act of aggression and a red line."
It sounds like he's threatening to go to the ICC over the 3,000 units, and to take 'different' actions over E-1.
Turkey calls NATO over Syria shooting down its F-4; Turkey claims plane had left Syrian airspace
They still haven't invoked Article 5 of the NATO treaty, as Daniel Pipes thought they would, but Turkey has asked for a consultation with its NATO partners regarding the Turkish plane that was shot down by Syria under Article 4 of the treaty (Hat Tip: Tuna T).
"Turkey has requested consultations under Article 4 of Nato's founding Washington Treaty," she told Reuters.
"Under article 4, any ally can request consultations whenever, in the opinion of any of them, their territorial integrity, political independence or security is threatened."
Turkey wants to be sure of the strongest backing once it decides its official response, reports the BBC's Jonathan Head in Istanbul.
The government has promised that it will be strong, decisive and legitimate, and that it will share all the information it has with the public.
Earlier, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu became the first senior Turkish official to challenge Syria's account of the downing of the jet.
After lengthy meetings with military chiefs, he told TRT state television that the unarmed jet had "momentarily" entered Syrian airspace by mistake on Friday but had left when it was shot down 15 minutes later.
"According to our conclusions, our plane was shot down in international airspace, 13 nautical miles (24km) from Syria," he said.
According to international law, a country's airspace extends 12 nautical miles (22.2km) from its coastline, corresponding with its territorial waters.
Mr Davutoglu also insisted that the jet had not been on a "covert mission related to Syria" but had instead been carrying out a training flight to test Turkey's radar capabilities.
He said the plane had not "shown any hostility", been clearly marked as Turkish, and that he did not agree with the Syrian military's statement that it had not known to whom it belonged.
Gül excuses Iran's pursuit of nukes, calls Israel 'a burden on its allies'
Learning from his party colleague, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, that there's political capital to be gained by attacking Israel, Turkish President Abdullah Gül has defended Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons while calling Israel 'a burden on its allies.' This is from the first link (Hat Tip: Joshua I).
Turkish President Abdullah Gül has said empathy is required to understand the underlying reasons why Iran is so determined to continue with its suspected nuclear program despite sanctions that have hurt Iran’s economy.
“It is important to put oneself in their shoes and see how they perceive threats,” Gül told The Guardian, referring to Israel’s nuclear capability, which it has neither acknowledged nor denied. Gül’s questioning of Iran’s nuclear aspirations came a week after the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) released its most critical report on Iran’s nuclear program, claiming that there is evidence that Iran might be on its way to developing nuclear weapon capability.
Gül also said there are different groups and concentrations of power in Iran and that it is impossible to see them as one single authority, without elaborating on what elements he was referring to within the Iranian regime.
Turkey spearheaded sustained efforts last year to revive nuclear diplomacy between Western nations and Iran and a year ago it hosted talks regarding Iran’s nuclear program in İstanbul. Turkey’s efforts to bring Iran and Western powers together were at the expense of its image in the West and badly damaged its ties with the US.
The Turkish president said that for the sake of peace it is very important that dialogue between Iran and the West progresses in a more frank and transparent way. “When I say transparent I mean Iran, and when I say frank I mean the West,” he explained.
Gül added that Turkey is opposed to military options for dealing with the issue amid increasing threats from Israeli officials that it could strike Iran’s nuclear facilities if the Islamic republic does not relinquish its nuclear program. “Looking at the Middle East, one has to have a comprehensive approach [to disarmament],” he added. “A piecemeal approach would not yield the same results.”
Now, why didn't I think of that? Of course, it's just like the UN - one country one vote. And there's no difference at all between an apocalyptic Islamic regime that's threatened to wipe out another country getting nuclear weapons, and a democracy that's been rumored to have them for nearly 50 years having nuclear weapons. There's no difference at all between them - right?
Gül, speaking at a British think-tank during an official visit to Britain, said Israel has become a burden on its allies because of its current policies, lamenting that it builds houses in East Jerusalem despite promises that it is committed to peace with Palestinians. “Maybe not everyone says openly what they think, but you can hear it when microphones are accidentally left on,” he said, apparently referring to a recent conversation between US President Barack Obama and French President Nicolas Sarkozy during which the French leader called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a “liar.”
“I can’t stand him anymore, he’s a liar,” Sarkozy said. “You may be sick of him, but me, I have to deal with him every day,” Obama replied. The exchange, overheard by journalists, took place during a G-20 summit in Paris earlier this month.
Gül said Israel must analyze the new situation in the Middle East in the wake of the Arab Spring revolutions and called on the Jewish state to avoid policies that would antagonize neighboring Arab countries. “A suppressed anger is surfacing. Therefore, Israel should really adopt a strategic stance and agree on a return to the 1967 borders,” he said, referring to the boundaries that existed before a 1967 war Israel fought against several Arab states.
Gül also criticized Israeli domestic policies as “weird,” saying a 3 percent election threshold allows too many parties into parliament, making the country “ungovernable.”
Sure, we should go back to the indefensible Auschwitz borders, allow Fatah and Hamas to run in our elections, and then let them take control of our country like the AKP has done in Turkey. What could go wrong?
Wilders' party stands up to the Islamist governments
Geert Wilders' Freedom party, part of the Dutch governing coalition, stood up to both Iran and Turkey over the weekend. This is from the first link (Benny Weinthal in the JPost).
Wim Kortenoeven, a deputy from the Party for Freedom, told The Jerusalem Post in a telephone interview from The Hague on Friday that his party had worked to pass a potent measure.
“Now for the practical execution of our resolution, which was unanimously supported in parliament. The foreign minister should be in the forefront of demanding the most forceful sanctions. And he is doing that. There is still a window of opportunity. There seems to be a willingness in Europe to go far in the sanctions and even to follow the initiatives of the US Congress.
But at the same time there seems to be a reluctance on the part of the US government where it concerns targeting the Iranian Central Bank. And boycotting that entity is probably the key for our success,” Kortenoeven said.
Kortenoeven, 56, one of Europe’s most prominent advocates for Israel’s security, spearheaded the passage of the parliamentary resolution.
According to the text, “the Islamic Republic of Iran violates the NPT and the IAEA suspects Iran of illegally developing nuclear weapons and illegal ballistic delivery systems.”
The resolution urges that “fast-working and effective sanctions must be imposed in order to force Iran to abandon the illegal nuclear program and open up completely to the IAEA,” and, “ultimate means should be used, if necessary, so as to prevent the need for military intervention.”
The resolution states that “measures should hurt the Iranian regime in its heart in order to compel them to compliance,” and, “calls on the [Dutch] government to take the lead with European and American allies in order to impose swift and effective sanctions.”
The Dutch resolution appears to be the only European legislative motion to slam Iran after the International Atomic Energy Agency report confirmed that Tehran is developing nuclear weapons designs.
Holland actually proposed that the EU cut off relations with Iran altogether, but that resolution did not pass. Read the whole thing.
Also over the weekend, Wilders himself announced his opposition to a planned visit by Turkish President Abdullah Gul because Turkey is an Islamist regime.
Gul has been invited to visit the Netherlands next year, when the two countries will celebrate 400 years of relations.
Wilders said in a commentary in the Dutch daily De Volkskrant that Gul should stay in Ankara.
“There is nothing to celebrate. The Islamist regime of Gul and his party member and Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan is not a true friend of the West and therefore neither of the Netherlands,” Wilders said.
“Everywhere Erdogan comes, he calls on Turkish immigrants to not adapt. Turkey does not want to become European but wants to islamise Europe,” Wilders said.
A breath of fresh air. Does anyone really doubt that's the AKP's goal? Then why are so many other people and politicians afraid to say it?
Israel is a leader - in this region and perhaps worldwide the leader - in technology and equipment for extracting people from destroyed buildings, in setting up field hospitals quickly, and in many other fields that are relevant to countries suffering from natural disasters. Israeli teams have traveled all over the world - even to countries with which we do not have diplomatic relations (such as Malaysia after the tsunami several years ago) to assist in disaster relief.
On Sunday, there was an earthquake at a location that is a 1.5-hour flight from Israel. Israel offered to assist. Turkey said no.
President Shimon Peres has called Turkey's President Abdullah Gul and sent his condolences over the deaths caused by the powerful earthquake that hit the country. Peres also reiterated Israel's offer for humanitarian aid.
Gul thanked Peres, but said that the Turkish search and rescue forces are expected to be able to handle the relief efforts.
But Israel Radio reports that Turkey has accepted assistance - from Iran and Azerbaijan, who are world experts in... nothing.
Is Turkey that stubborn? Look at a map.
The quake area is described as 'southeastern Turkey along the Iranian border.' On this map, that area is part of what is labeled Kurdistan. Could it be that Turkey would rather 'lose' a few more Kurds as earthquake casualties? Could it be that Turkey fears contact between Israelis and other international rescuers and its Kurdish population for fear of what they might learn is really going on in Kurdistan? Could it be that Turkey fears Kurdistan will gain international support if rescuers go there?
I'd bet on it.
Here's some video. Let's go to the videotape.
Those rescuers look real professional, don't they? /sarc
Israel Radio reported earlier that there are people trapped under the rubble who are using their cell phones to call and SMS family and rescuers to let them know where they are. But those people can't live like that forever.
Would things be different if the victims were not Kurds?
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has walked back his threat to send gunboats to protect weapons shipments to Gaza.
Turkey and Israel took baby-steps back over the weekend from a further dramatic deterioration in ties, with Turkish officials saying Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s threats of sending gunboats to Gaza were misinterpreted – and Israel made clear it had not decided to support the Kurdish militants fighting Turkey.
According to officials quoted in Istanbul’s Today’s Zaman newspaper over the weekend, remarks Erdogan made during an interview on Al Jazeera Thursday about the gunboats were “quoted out of context.” According to the paper, in the Turkish version of the interview, Erdogan said: “At the moment, no doubt, Turkish warships are first of all liable to protect their own ships. This is the first step.
And there is humanitarian aid, which we will extend.
Our humanitarian assistance will no longer be attacked as happened in the case of the Mavi Marmara.”
A senior government official quoted by Today’s Zaman on Friday said Erdogan’s remarks did not mean Ankara was preparing to send humanitarian-aid ships to Gaza, escorted by Turkish gunboats.
“As long as Israel does not interfere in the freedom of navigation, we do not plan on sending any warships to escort humanitarian-aid ships,” the official was quoted as saying.
“The misquoted remarks suggest that we have been readying to provide a warship to escort each humanitarian aid ship. This is not the case. However, Turkey will protect its citizens’ rights in the event of any interference in international waters.”
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said on Saturday night Israel wanted to prevent a further deterioration of ties with Turkey.
“We didn’t choose this, and we will work to lower the flames, and if possible to rebuild the ties.”
Also on Saturday night, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said in a Channel 2 interview that there was no Israeli proposal on the agenda to help or have contact with the PKK Kurdish militant organization.
Lieberman was referring to a story in Yediot Aharonot on Friday that this was one of the steps the government was discussing as a response to threats from Ankara.
I suspect that the Egyptians may have told the Turks that they are not very interested in having weapons reach Gaza either. After all, it was the Egyptians who also forced Erdogan to walk back the idea of visiting Gaza this week.
As to aiding the PKK, if Israel is going to do that (and it may well be already), it would be wise to keep quiet about it.
In the meantime, if you want to see a really neat x-ray version of the picture above, go here (Hat Tip: Joe's Ramblings).
And here I was pleased with the results of the Turkish election because the AKP did not win enough seats to pass a new constitution or to call a referendum by themselves. But Michael Rubin calls it disastrous.
Turks voted for Recep Erdogan for three reasons: At least half of his support (or 25 percent of the country) seek Islamism and an end to Turkish secularism. Perhaps half the remainder is the business elite who credit Erdogan for Turkey’s economic boom. The AKP certainly deserves credit for this, although much of Turkey’s boom is predicated on illicit Green Money and a willingness to incur huge debt. Much of the rest embrace Erdogan’s shameless anti-Semitic and anti-American populism.
Alas, Erdogan’s re-election may be the final nail in the coffin of Turkish democracy. During the next months, Erdogan will seek to re-write Turkey’s constitution; push ahead with show trials of his political opponents; and unravel the remaining checks-and-balances which have for decades guaranteed Turkey’s secularism. Diplomats have long described a Turkish model in which an overwhelmingly Muslim population could embrace democracy. Alas, Erdogan has given new meaning to the Turkish model. He has launched a step-by-step process to unravel secularism and, all the while, given new fodder to those who say the Muslim Brotherhood is inimical to democracy.
Of course, I don't think anyone really expected otherwise, but perhaps what Rubin is saying is that my expectation that the opposition will slow down the AKP is unrealistic.
Turkey's Abdullah Gul says his country wants to act as a mediator between Israel and the 'Palestinians' and between Israel and the Arab countries. So then why is he taking sides in the conflict?
I call upon the leaders of Israel to approach the peace process with a strategic mindset, rather than resorting to short-sighted tactical maneuvers. This will require seriously considering the Arab League’s 2002 peace initiative, which proposed a return to Israel’s pre-1967 borders and fully normalized diplomatic relations with Arab states.
Sticking to the unsustainable status quo will only place Israel in greater danger. History has taught us that demographics is the most decisive factor in determining the fate of nations. In the coming 50 years, Arabs will constitute the overwhelming majority of people between the Mediterranean Sea and the Dead Sea. The new generation of Arabs is much more conscious of democracy, freedom and national dignity.
In such a context, Israel cannot afford to be perceived as an apartheid island surrounded by an Arab sea of anger and hostility. Many Israeli leaders are aware of this challenge and therefore believe that creating an independent Palestinian state is imperative. A dignified and viable Palestine, living side by side with Israel, will not diminish the security of Israel, but fortify it.
Gul claims to want to mediate, but calls on Israel to commit national suicide by accepting the so-called Saudi plan (now known as the Arab League's peace initiative) and implies that Israel is an 'apartheid' state. He makes no calls on the 'Palestinians' for any concessions in their demands.
Hardly the way to gain the trust necessary to be a mediator.
Well, isn't this great news? Turkey's Abdullah Gul (center), Afghanistan's Hamid Karzai (left) and Pakistan's Asif Ali Zardari met on Friday - the morning after Gul met with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad - and announced that the three countries will hold joint military maneuvers in March 2011 (Hat Tip: Joshua I).
Turkish diplomatic sources speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation confirmed the plans Friday to the Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review.
“Development [of our countries] is a strategic tool to maintain peace, stability and serenity,” Turkish President Abdullah Gül said Friday in his opening speech at the summit, which followed a meeting of Central Asian countries belonging to the Economic Cooperation Organization.
Security and development were the main issues discussed at the trilateral summit. In his speech, Gül said the three countries had to provide a positive environment for private investment and strengthen cooperation in the fields of air transportation, commerce and energy. [More nuclear proliferation coming? CiJ]
In addition to the training exercise, the heads of state also decided to establish infrastructure for audiovisual conferences as well as a natural disaster emergency operation center. Four main decisions were made regarding security issues including joint military drills, the fight against terrorism, a joint program on police cooperation and one on the fight against drug trafficking.
I am an Orthodox Jew - some would even call me 'ultra-Orthodox.' Born in Boston, I was a corporate and securities attorney in New York City for seven years before making aliya to Israel in 1991 (I don't look it but I really am that old :-). I have been happily married to the same woman for thirty-five years, and we have eight children (bli ayin hara) ranging in age from 13 to 33 years and nine grandchildren. Four of our children are married! Before I started blogging I was a heavy contributor on a number of email lists and ran an email list called the Matzav from 2000-2004. You can contact me at: IsraelMatzav at gmail dot com
