Turkey sets deadline for Israel Apology

[Archdemon]

Excessive force is a subjective interpretation, does not answer to the law, what do they accept from soldiers to do while they acting in self defense as the same report states? contradiction!

 

[Cerian]

This only strengthening the Israeli point. Part of report which legalizes Israeli blockade is based on solid facts. Part of report which accuses Israel of using excessive force is based on dobious incomplete testimonies.

Anyway, Davutoglu failed and was humiliated in Syria. So he tries now to drive attention away by attacking Israel. But since report clearly says that blockade is legal, his attacks look ridiculous and pathetic. Maybe this guy enjoys to be humiliated.

Report itself doesn't bear any legal authority, nor does it have any power to implement its findings. You would be right if UNSC resolution was in the motion and its findings were the same (UNSC's dinosaur,broken system some would say); although even then we know in the past that Israel couldn't care less about UNSC resolutions, UNHRC and UN Special Rapporteur reports. Empirical evidence is there, but you still consider status of Palmer Report as a bastion of legality for Gaza Blockade, a light in the dark?

 

[Archdemon]

UNHRC is a joke, their report bare zero credibility

 

[DevilKiller]

just get ready cuz the 3rd world war is getting ready ......

 

[blackops]

So turkey is going to attack israel

 

[nForce]

joins hand with iran and turkey give iran air and naval support while iran keeps firing their shabir mabhii and gul teer into israel and the same time tomorrow you see israely aplogizing and recoginise the palestine..

Something in that line they have tried.. twice...and failed.

 

[500]

Report itself doesn't bear any legal authority, nor does it have any power to implement its findings. You would be right if UNSC resolution was in the motion and its findings were the same (UNSC's dinosaur,broken system some would say);

* Turley demanded this report.
* Turkey participated in this report.
* Now report is published and Turkey rejects report.

Turkey behaves like little child who does not know how to lose.

 

[silko]

* Turkish government demanded this report.
* Turkish government participated in this report.
* Now report is published and Turkish government rejects report.

Turkish government behaves like little child who does not know how to lose.

FIXED!

 

[muse]

September 2, 2011
Turkey Expels Israeli Ambassador Over Flotilla Raid
By SEBNEM ARSU and ALAN COWELL



ANKARA, Turkey — Turkey said on Friday that it was downgrading its diplomatic and military ties with Israel and expelling its ambassador in a display of anger at Israel’s refusal to apologize for a commando raid last year on a Turkish protest flotilla bound for Gaza in which nine people died.

Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Turkey would reduce its diplomatic representation in Israel to the level of second secretary — one of the lowest diplomatic ranks — and had ordered Israel’s ambassador, Gabby Levy, to leave Turkey by Wednesday. Reuters said Mr. Levy was currently in Israel and had canceled plans to return to Turkey.

“All military agreements have been suspended,” Mr. Davutoglu said but added that relations could return to normal if Israel apologized.

“Our aim here is not to hurt our friendship but to return this friendship to its right track,” Mr. Davutoglu said.

Turkey once ranked as Israel’s closest ally in the Muslim world. The latest move stopped just short of a complete breach in diplomatic relations but nonetheless seemed likely to deepen the already profound alienation between the two countries.

There was no immediate comment from Jerusalem. Israeli officials said that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was holding consultations but they refused to respond publicly to the announcement from Turkey.

The deterioration in relations with Turkey compounded Israel’s regional woes from the so-called Arab Spring after the loss of a key ally in Egypt, the deposed former president Hosni Mubarak, and a bloody and unpredictable crackdown on dissent in Syria.

Some Israeli officials, speaking privately because of the delicate diplomatic situation, said that while Turkey’s diplomatic move represented a further sharp downturn in relations with Israel, military ties had already been undergoing a serious erosion since 2009. “My feeling is that there is not a lot to suspend in that sense,” one official said.

The move came as a long-awaited United Nations review of the 2010 raid on a Turkish-based flotilla found that Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza is both legal and appropriate. But it said that the way Israeli forces boarded the vessels trying to break that blockade 15 months ago was excessive and unreasonable.

The report, expected to be released Friday, also found that when Israeli commandos boarded the main ship, they faced “organized and violent resistance from a group of passengers” and were therefore required to use force for their own protection. But the report called the force “excessive and unreasonable,” saying that the loss of life was unacceptable and that the Israeli military’s later treatment of passengers was abusive. Eight Turks and an American of Turkish descent died in the Israeli raid.

A copy of the 105-page report was obtained early by The New York Times.

Mr. Davutoglu said Turkey did not accept the findings of the report and did not recognize the legality of the Gaza blockade. He also said Turkey would take all necessary precautions to protect its shipping in the eastern Mediterranean, though he did not elaborate.

Turkey plans to start procedures at the United Nations and the International Court of Justice to analyze the legitimacy of the blockade.

In the past, the two countries have sought to negotiate some kind of apology for the raid from Israel and compensation for the victims. But those discussions ended in failure with Israel saying it is willing to express regret and pay compensation but not offer the full apology Turkey is demanding.

For his part, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey said an apology and compensation would not be sufficient for Turkey to return its ambassador to Tel Aviv, demanding that Israel end the blockade of Gaza.

Sebnem Arsu reported from Ankara, and Alan Cowell from Paris. Isabel Kershner contributed reporting from Jerusalem.

 

[500]

FIXED!

Agree with ur correction

 

[Mosamania]

Well turkey sure is gaining a lot of points in the Arab world these days.

 

[Doctor09]

nice job turkey......its realy a brave and bold decisions..
Rise of TURKS..............

 

[VelocuR]

Believe me, israel and tureky will be back in normal relationship again next few years later after temporary suspended. No worry.

FIXED!

You mean, Turkish people loves Israel and Zionists including you?

 

[Mosamania]

People don't understand that the world is no longer Unipolar.

the USA will not be what it used to be since the USA not only plundered once but twice and to plunder twice is not allowed in war. Now Russia wants to be the neo-soviet (or more correctly the neo-Russian Empire) China is going back to its roots. Turkey (neo-Ottoman) India (The glory of the lands of the Hind days) the European Union if continues to go as it is (I highly doubt the EU will continue beyond this century) Israel (King Solomon's lands) Iran (neo-Persia) and the list goes on and on That does not mean the US will seize to be a player on the contrary it will also play in a role in this new world to come.

The world will go back to its original roots and everything again will go back to "Normal" sort to speak. Peace is not the natural state of men.

 

[razgriz19]

Turkey boots Israeli ambassador over flotilla raid

Deadly raid soured Israeli-Turkish relations

CBC News

Posted: Sep 2, 2011 7:02 AM ET

Last Updated: Sep 2, 2011 12:42 PM ET

Turkey is throwing the Israeli ambassador out of the country and cutting military ties over Israel's refusal to apologize for a deadly May 2010 raid on a flotilla of ships bound for Gaza.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Friday that diplomatic ties are being downgraded, and all military ties between the two countries are suspended.

Reuters reported that the Israeli ambassador, Gabby Levy, is currently in Israel and cancelled plans to return to Turkey.

The report of the four-member panel called on Israel to issue an "appropriate statement of regret" and to offer payment for the benefit of the deceased and injured victims and their families.

"To be frank, the report is null and void for us," said Turkish President Abdullah Gul, when he was asked to comment on the fact the report does not include a specific request for an Israeli apology.

Israeli officials, who spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity, reiterated Israel's position that no apology would be issued.

"As recommended in the report, Israel again expresses its regret for the loss of life, but it will never apologize for the self-defense acts of its soldiers. Israel, like any other country, has the legitimate right to defend its citizens and its soldiers," the the Israeli officials said in a statement.

Turkey's actions came a day after the leak of a United Nations report which found that the Israeli military used excessive force during the attack on the flotilla, which was trying to break Israel's blockade of Gaza. The report also says the blockade itself is legal.

The raid attracted international condemnation, and led to the diplomatic dispute between Israel and Turkey.

During the raid, Israeli commandoes rapelled from helicopters to board the Mavi Marmara, the largest of the ships headed for Gaza. Intense fighting broke out between the Israeli soldiers and activists onboard. In the end, nine activists — eight Turks and a Turkish-American — were killed.

The 105-page UN report, which was expected to be officially released Friday but was leaked to the New York Times a day early, says that while the Israelis used excessive and unreasonable force, they had little choice but to defend themselves from an organized group of violent passengers.

The report was completed months ago, but was delayed as Israel and Turkey sought to negotiate a resolution. Turkey wanted a formal apology and had set Friday as a deadline for Israel to do so, but Israel has said to apologize would be demoralizing.

Supportive of blockade

The New York Times said the report takes a generally supportive view of Israel's blockade of Gaza.

“Israel faces a real threat to its security from militant groups in Gaza,” the newspaper quoted from the leaked report's opening paragraphs. “The naval blockade was imposed as a legitimate security measure in order to prevent weapons from entering Gaza by sea and its implementation complied with the requirements of international law.”

However, the report was critical of Israel's actions in the raid on the flotilla. It said Israel should have issued more warnings before taking action, and used non-violent methods first.

The report was also critical of the manner in which the nine activists died.

“Forensic evidence showing that most of the deceased were shot multiple times, including in the back, or at close range has not been adequately accounted for in the material presented by Israel, the Times quoted from the report.

The UN report also singled out the activists in the flotilla, saying they were entitled to express their views but that they had acted "recklessly in attempting to breach the naval blockade."

"The majority of the flotilla participants had no violent intentions, but there exist serious questions about the conduct, true nature and objectives of the flotilla organizers, particularly IHH [the humanitarian group that was the leading organization behind the flotilla]. The actions of the flotilla needlessly carried the potential for escalation."