Turkish Navy and PM to accompany more aid ships to Gaza

[Evil Flare]

Jews are only 12 million.
Muslims are 1.2 billion.

its 1.67 Billion ....

 

[Speeder 2]

Israel should lead investigation into attack on Gaza flotilla, says US


The United States has blocked demands at the UN security council for an international inquiry into Israel's assault on the Turkish ship carrying aid to Gaza that left nine pro-Palestinian activists dead.

A compromise statement instead calls for an impartial investigation which Washington indicated could be carried out by Israel.

Turkey pressed for the security council to launch an investigation similar to Richard Goldstone's inquiry into last year's fighting in Gaza which prompted protests from Israel when it concluded that Israel and Hamas were probably guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Ankara wanted the investigation into the raid on the Mavi Marmara to result in the prosecution of officials responsible for the assault and the payment of compensation to the victims.

But in hours of diplomatic wrangling, the US blocked the move and instead forced a statement that called for "a prompt, impartial, credible and transparent investigation conforming to international standards". The US representative at the security council discussions, Alejandro Wolff, indicated that Washington would be satisfied with Israel investigating itself when he called for it to undertake a credible investigation.

The Israeli government is certain to launch its own inquiry in part as a response to domestic criticism that its forces were ill-prepared for the resistance they met on the ship. But any self-inquiry is likely to be met with the same scepticism beyond Israel's borders that met its investigations into last year's Gaza war and its 2006 invasion of Lebanon which criticised aspects of the handling of the operations but did not challenge the underlying claim that they were essential for Israel's security.

The Americans also blocked criticism of Israel for violating international law by assaulting a ship in international waters in the security council statement proposed by Turkey, the Palestinians and Arab nations.

The US instead forced a broader statement that condemned "those acts which resulted in the loss" of life.

However, the security council statement did criticise Israel's siege of Gaza as "not sustainable" and called for a "sustained and regular flow of goods and people to Gaza, as well as unimpeded provision and distribution of humanitarian assistance throughout Gaza".

Turkey's foreign minister, Ahmet Davutoglu, called the raid on the Mavi Marmara "tantamount to banditry and piracy; it is murder conducted by a state".

The French ambassador to the UN, Gerard Araud, said "there was disproportionate use of force and a level of violence which nothing justifies and which we condemn".

Wolff told the security council that the organisers of the flotilla had been irresponsible in trying to deliver aid by sea in the face of the Israeli blockade.



Israel should lead investigation into attack on Gaza flotilla, says US | World news | The Guardian



You gonna be fcuking joking!

 

[gurjot]

how indian govt can condemn the attack

it has the same policies as that of israel

both are zionists

if we would have the same policies,then the geographic position of the south asia would have been different

 

[mjnaushad]

Israel should lead investigation into attack on Gaza flotilla, says US

That would be clean and clear......

 

[Ahmad]

That would be clean and clear......

yes i saw that too. they are so shameless and hypocritical.

 

[psychedelic_renegade]

how indian govt can condemn the attack

it has the same policies as that of israel

both are zionists

Do not want to go off topic, but GoI is one of the major aid provider to Palestine unlike some country who can only think of war and annihilation. And also GoI voted for Palestine whenever there is motion for the cause in UN. Don't get too worked up in online forums.

 

[deepak75]

Force a blockade lift. That seems like the most obvious.

Then why did Turkey denounce Hamas for the illegal takeover which in effect is the reason for this continuing blockade. Has anything changed? Has Hamas retrenched? NO.

How about the reason being more domestic politics than any new found love for the Palestinians? Possibly a more religious tinge to the current socio-political fabric?

Israel is already losing on the world stage. As more and more ships start heading for Gaza decisions would have to be made on the Israeli side. All Turkey has to do is keep sending more ships off Cyprus. Also if other places start sending ships it would make it even worse for Israel. It could actually lift the blockade pretty fast.

But I thought that the decision from the Israeli side on this subject has been crystal clear since 2007!! This was not the first incident with an aid boat in this regard.

And it was not an effort backed by the Turkish government. It was an effort from the right wingers a.k.a the religious extremists.

In any case, do you really think that if Turkey sends the Navy then Israel will allow the aid boats to go thru?

I mean it was a provokation and both hands involved are burnt. The risk-return is adverse for Turkey in following this up. What do you think?

 

[Jigs]

Then why did Turkey denounce Hamas for the illegal takeover which in effect is the reason for this continuing blockade. Has anything changed? Has Hamas retrenched? NO.

How about the reason being more domestic politics than any new found love for the Palestinians? Possibly a more religious tinge to the current socio-political fabric?



But I thought that the decision from the Israeli side on this subject has been crystal clear since 2007!! This was not the first incident with an aid boat in this regard.

And it was not an effort backed by the Turkish government. It was an effort from the right wingers a.k.a the religious extremists.

In any case, do you really think that if Turkey sends the Navy then Israel will allow the aid boats to go thru?

I mean it was a provokation and both hands involved are burnt. The risk-return is adverse for Turkey in following this up. What do you think?

I don't see why they wouldn't taking action against them would be a bad move with the navy there. Does Israel really think they could handle a military conflict with Turkey ? Do you think they would risk that ?

 

[gambit]

So it looks like Turkey is going to be like Iran, meddling in the internal affairs of another state via proxy. If the EU will continue to exist, may be Turkey could kiss that membership good bye.

 

[gambit]

I don't see why they wouldn't taking action against them would be a bad move with the navy there. Does Israel really think they could handle a military conflict with Turkey ? Do you think they would risk that ?

The question should be the other way around: Can the Turk Navy handle the Israeli Navy? It is Turkey who is trying to suck up to the Arabs that is trying to provoke Israel. Israel have no need to provoke Turkey into a war. All Israel has to do is wait and see if Turkey is willing to violate Israeli territorial waters with a Turkish Navy ship.

 

[deepak75]

I don't see why they wouldn't taking action against them would be a bad move with the navy there. Does Israel really think they could handle a military conflict with Turkey ? Do you think they would risk that ?

You have to look at it this way. Israel is not sending its boats to a matter that is a thorn to Turkey. Say for example, they are not sending boats to Cyprus.

It is Turkey that you are thinking will send the navy to disrupt the blockade. So you would anyway expect Israel to react and resist. Agressor will be the Turkish Navy and not the other way round specially with the clearly stated positions.....

So will Turkey risk a conflict situation for a cause to which they have not shown any great love till recent times and a cause which is more motivating for internal domestic political purposes rather than any international supremacy objective?

Who wins what is a different matter. The point is, will Turkey risk a conflict by actively pursuing it (sending navy)?

 

[Jigs]

The question should be the other way around: Can the Turk Navy handle the Israeli Navy? It is Turkey who is trying to suck up to the Arabs that is trying to provoke Israel. Israel have no need to provoke Turkey into a war. All Israel has to do is wait and see if Turkey is willing to violate Israeli territorial waters with a Turkish Navy ship.

I suggest you investigate that before asking the question because the answer is there. Also refer to older post on the Turkish navy violating Israeli waters. They won't.

 

[SpArK]

Turkey sends planes for activists


Turkey sends planes for activists - Europe - Al Jazeera English

Turkey has sent three planes to Israel to bring back hundreds of activists detained after a deadly raid on their aid flotilla to Gaza.

At least four Turks were killed when Israeli troops stormed a convoy of ships in international waters on Monday, sparking angry protests in the Muslim-majority nation.

"Our objective is to bring back everybody as well as the bodies," a Turkish diplomat told the AFP agency on Wednesday.

Some 350 activists will be sent back to Istanbul on Turkish aircraft, while around 20 injured people will return via Ankara on ambulance planes, Turkey's capital.

The Turkish Red Crescent said one national, currently in intensive care after surgery in a Tel Aviv hospital, would stay there for several more days.

Strained ties

Relations between Turkey and Israel deteriorated rapidly following the deadly raid, with most of the bloodshed occurring on the Mavi Marmara, a Turkish-flagged ship carrying hundreds of pro-Palestinian activists.

State media reported on Wednesday that Turkey's justice ministry is considering legal action against Israel.

Officials are looking into both domestic and international law to see what action might be undertaken after Monday's operation in international waters, a report by the Anatolia news agency said.

It comes a day after Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey's prime minister, called for Israel to be "punished" for its "bloody massacre".

"It is no longer possible to cover up or ignore Israel's lawlessness. It is time for the international community to say 'enough is enough'," he said.

Thousands of Turks staged two days of protests across the country denouncing the action.

Some members of Turkey's Jewish community say they fear that anger over the flotilla deaths will lead to a rise in anti-Semitism in the nation.

"We are definitely worried, because that [the anger in Turkey] can turn very easily to anti-Semitism," Ivo Molinas, the editor in chief of the weekly Istanbul-based publication Shalom, said.

"The rhetoric used by the prime minister has been very radical," Molinas, a member of the 20,000-member Jewish community residing in Turkey, added.

Turkey says it has beefed up security to protect its Jewish minority, while Israel has ordered families of Israeli diplomats out of Turkey.

Besir Atalay, the Turkish interior minister, said security has been stepped up at 20 points alone in Istanbul, which has several synagogues and centres.

Turkey became Israel's chief regional ally when the two signed a military co-operation deal in 1996.

But relations have soured since Israel's devastating war on Gaza last year amid criticism from Erdogan's government.

 

[Jigs]

You have to look at it this way. Israel is not sending its boats to a matter that is a thorn to Turkey. Say for example, they are not sending boats to Cyprus.

It is Turkey that you are thinking will send the navy to disrupt the blockade. So you would anyway expect Israel to react and resist. Agressor will be the Turkish Navy and not the other way round specially with the clearly stated positions.....

So will Turkey risk a conflict situation for a cause to which they have not shown any great love till recent times and a cause which is more motivating for internal domestic political purposes rather than any international supremacy objective?

Who wins what is a different matter. The point is, will Turkey risk a conflict by actively pursuing it (sending navy)?

Who knows. Best to ask that to İlker Başbuğ and Erdogan. Who knows what they are planing. Best to wait this week out and see what all happens.

 

[gambit]

Turkey won't provoke anything. We know how to play our cards. If the new convoys are escorted by naval ships you can bet they won't cross into Israel waters. If Israel decides to react before that it would be against the law once again and would give Turkey full rights to take military action against Israel. Which would one force Israel to lift the blockade or two go to war over it which risking would be insane for Israel.

This make no sense. If Turkey is going to provide armed naval escorts to the next 'aid' fleet, why stop at the border? All Israel has to do is wait until this 'aid' fleet crosses into Israeli territorial waters and board them. How would that make Turkey's image to the Arabs, whom Turkey is trying to suck up? By providing armed naval escorts, Turkey is saying to the world that "We are taking responsibility for the group's safety. But only up to a point."