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Turkey set to freeze ties with Israel: report
Pro-Palestinian demonstrators wave Turkish and Palestinian flags as they await the return of the expelled activists from Israel to Turkey, in downtown Istanbul late June 2, 2010.
Credit: Reuters/Murad Sezer
ISTANBUL |
ISTANBUL (Reuters) - A Turkish newspaper reported on Wednesday that Turkey would halt military cooperation with Israel and not send back the ambassador it withdrew after a deadly Israeli commando operation to stop a Gaza aid convoy.
The Turkish government has said it is working on a road map for future ties with once close ally Israel and has created a committee to assess the legal dimensions of the May 31 operation in which nine pro-Palestinian Turkish activists were killed.
The Star newspaper's report of decisions taken at a cabinet meeting this week was based on unnamed sources. An aide to Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan declined to comment on the report.
The Foreign Ministry released a statement on Monday's cabinet meeting.
"A committee was formed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Justice Minister ... to prepare for an international investigation and assess the attack's national and international legal dimension," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
President Abdullah Gul said last week that Turkey was examining options within the framework of international law, though Ankara has not stated what form that response could take.
The newspaper report said the Turkish government had decided against sending back its ambassador to Tel Aviv unless Israel participates in a U.N. investigation into the incident.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has proposed a full international inquiry. Israel has rejected that proposal and says it is conducting its own investigation, whose panel will include two foreign observers.
"We took a series of decisions covering military, diplomatic and political pressure and measures," The Star quoted a source as saying.
It also reported that military deals, including plane and tank modernisation and missile projects, worth $7.5 billion, were to be frozen.
Military cooperation, including joint exercises and pilot training, would also be halted, as would intelligence sharing, the Star said.
It said the sanctions against Israel would be introduced gradually.
Turkey wants the United Nations to control an inquiry into the events that led to the killing of the activists aboard the Turkish-flagged Mavi Marmara while it was in international waters. Turkey doubts the impartiality of the Israeli probe.
Israel says its soldiers opened fire after a boarding party came under attack from activists armed with knives and clubs, and says its blockade of Gaza is needed to choke off the supply of arms to Hamas Islamists running the enclave.
Turkey's Erdogan has emerged as a hero among Muslims in the Middle East for bringing international attention to the conditions of 1.5 million Palestinians in Gaza. He has called for an immediate end to the Israeli blockade.
The Turkish government withdrew its ambassador, and canceled plans for three joint military exercises immediately after the storming of the aid vessel. There has been widespread public outrage in Turkey over Israel's actions.
Turkey and Israel forged a strategic partnership in the 1990s, but relations between them came under increasing strain from last year due to Erdogan's repeated fierce criticism of Israeli policy toward Palestinians.
The United States would like to see the two allies mend fences as a breakdown of their relationship could harm U.S. strategy in the Middle East.
(Writing by Simon Cameron-Moore and Daren Butler; Editing by Noah Barkin and Charles Dick)
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Iran Islamic revolution
Erdogan Islamic evolution
Who are Erdogan political partners?
1: Endogen considers Hamas a sister party
Hamas agenda is Islam rules the world and kill Jews
Details in Hamas chart: http://www.mideastweb.org/hamas.htm
** Hamas charter is every think opposed by ATATURK
2: Erdugan government shelters IHH which is part of the global Jihad network
According to Danish and French intelligence reports:
IHH helped AL QAIDA attack on LA airport, send manpower, arms and money to areas engaged by Islamist
Detailed in the following link:
http://www.theisraelproject.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=hsJPK0PIJpH&b=689705&ct=8419873&tr=y&auid=6424584
***** Was ATATURK dream for Turkey to integrate into global Islamism?
3: Erdugan is binding Turkey to the Iran Islamist theocratic regime
The Iranian theocratic rulers desire to replace the western civilization- including the end of democracy and western life style.
3 decades ago, the slogans on Iran streets calling “death to the USA satin”, where considered gimmicks by the west.
** Erdugan policy-NOT ATTATURK DREAM***
—–
What Arabs&Israel done for Turkey
1: Teaching of modern sciences in Turkey was established by 300 Jewish professors (read the Jews of Bosporus)
2: After the Earth quick disasters Israel provided massive help to Turkey
3; The Arabs revolt was one of the key factors in WW1 Turkey defeat
4; Arabs help to Turkey was insignificant
* Not ATATURK legacy *
2)Erdogan is after the Dream of forming Ottoman empire or old ottoman heritage.Erdogan is I beleive even dealing with Any one link to Ottoman member families as some live in Lebenon,Egypt and many Arabian peninsula Europe and USA.
3)Since Ottoman Empire left the Arabian peninsula some of the 1st world war invaders did so much aggriments with Ataturks Turkey that there is Turkish Army present in Iraq and Syria with in their borders. So where do this leads.
4)So who run the middle wast since 1200AD to 1914 Ottoman Turks or Arabs.Now When did israel move to Middle East and Who put Israel in to its present location?
5)If Ottomanism becomes high in the middle East than Israeli presence becomes in danger. To keep that balance West has created Ecological balance Arm the Kurds.
How ever we have to wait and see what will happen in the near future mabe before saddam fall out Turkish and Iraqi intelligence swaped files and important documents as before 2nd Gulf war Turkish MPs regularly went into iraq and met saddam and many his high ranking mps.If They have general important document may be that is why Erdogan is playing his cards if Israel and West Arms Kurds Against Turkey or Iran or Syria then they get together and back Hamas.By the way this si mere speculation not a fact.Otherwise why would Turkey fall with Israel?
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