Israel Matzav

Israel said no to Turkish apology because Turks would never restore relations to normal

The New York Times reports that Israel refused to apologize to Turkey because the cabinet was convinced that any apology would be deemed insufficient anyway.

The Israeli official, who also spoke on condition of anonymity, said the Turks kept adding conditions for a reconciliation, raising uncertainty in Mr. Netanyahu’s government over whether they were sincere and whether they would consider the case closed even if a deal were reached.

As a result, Israel’s security cabinet refused on Wednesday to endorse a package of understandings with Turkey that would have included an Israeli apology for any operational errors during the commando raid and agreement to pay into a compensation fund for the victims in return for a Turkish commitment not to pursue legal action against Israeli soldiers.

But Turkey also wanted the impending United Nations report shelved and added the demand to lift the blockade on Gaza, according to the Israeli official.

“This was a red light,” he said. “It made us realize that whatever we agree on, the Turkish government may not feel committed to the understandings.”

He added, “Most cabinet members who were not opposed to the indirect apology in the deal now felt on uncertain ground about what Israel would get in return.”

You will recall that on Wednesday I raised the issue of what is in the Palmer Commission report and speculated that it might be very pro-Israel, which is why it is so important to the Turks to suppress it. From Israel's viewpoint, that's a reason why the report ought to be publicized, apology or no apology. It looks like I was on to something. And this next bit from the Times article all but confirms it.

While Turkey is said to object to the draft conclusions of the United Nations report, Israeli officials who have seen the draft consider much of it favorable to Israel.

They say that the report has concluded that Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza and its enforcement, even in international waters, is legitimate and that the report is severely critical of the organizers of the 2010 flotilla. At the same time, the Israelis say, the report criticizes Israel for having used excessive force during the raid.

Let the report out!

Labels: Binyamin Netanyahu, Hillary Clinton, Mavi Marmara, Palmer Commission, Turkish obsession with Israel

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 2:30 AM