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Israeli military aircraft barred from Turk airspace

Mon Jun 28, 2010 2:09pm EDT

* Policy follows Israeli raid on Turkish-flagged aid ship

* Turkey barred Poland-bound Israeli plane from airspace



ISTANBUL, June 28 (Reuters) - Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday that a ban on Israeli military aircraft entering Turkish airspace has been in force since an Israeli commando raid on a Gaza-bound aid ship in which nine Turks were killed.

He confirmed a ban was in place in a response to reports that a plane carrying Israeli officers to Poland to tour Auschwitz was forced to re-route after being refused entry to Turkish airspace.

"This is something that happened after recent events. This has already been announced," Erdogan was quoted by the state run Anatolian news agency as saying before leaving Toronto on Sunday, after attending a G-20 Summit in the Canadian city.

Nine Turkish pro-Palestinian activists were killed when Israeli commandos stormed the Turkish-flagged Mavi Marmara ship on May 31 as part of an operation to stop a relief aid flotilla headed for Israeli-blockaded Gaza.

Turkey then recalled its ambassador and cancelled joint military exercises with Israel. Turkish officials have said the government is reviewing its relations with the Jewish state.

Israeli news media reported on Monday that Erdogan has said he was shutting Turkish airspace to Israeli military aircraft, and that this appeared to be Ankara's first operative step against Israel since bringing back its ambassador.

Israel has made no official comment on the reports.

Addressing a news conference on his return to Ankara on Monday, Erdogan was asked whether his meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama during the Toronto summit had changed Turkey's position in its dispute with Israel.

"We have come to agreement on all subjects whether it is regarding an apology, reparations to be paid -- these two subjects are between Turkey and Israel -- and the lifting of the blockade being applied on Palestine," said Erdogan.

Israel maintains that a blockade of Gaza is needed to choke off the supply of arms to Hamas Islamists who rule the enclave.

Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are scheduled to meet on July 6.

The earlier friendship between Israel and Turkey, two regional military heavyweights, had benefited U.S. policy in the Middle East, and Washington would like them to mend fences.

Israel opened an inquiry on Monday into events on board the Mavi Marmara a month ago. Turkey distrusts the Israeli investigation and wants a U.N.-led inquiry.

Israeli officials have said that shooting broke out on the ship after a boarding party came under attack from activists armed with knives and bars.

Relations between Turkey, a Muslim country with a secular constitution, and Israel entered a downward spiral early last year, after Erdogan spoke out strongly against an Israeli offensive in Gaza. (Additional reporting by Allyn Fisher-Ilan in Jerusalem; Writing by Simon Cameron-Moore; Editing by Mark Heinrich)



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