Turkey suspends Israeli ties over flotilla report row
Posted September 02, 2011 23:00:41
Source - ABC News
Turkey has expelled the Israeli ambassador to Ankara and suspended all military ties with its one-time ally after a UN report slammed the "excessive" force used in a raid on a Gaza aid flotilla.
A day after leaked extracts of the report into last year's commando raid appeared in the media, Turkey's foreign minister said Ankara had decided on a series of steps as a mark of protest
Although the report has yet to be released, Turkey's president, Abdullah Gul, said Ankara would reject it, regarding it as "null and void".
The Israeli government meanwhile indicated it would accept most of the findings, but claimed vindication over its right to impose a blockade on the Palestinian territory which is run by the Islamist movement Hamas.
Turkey pulled its ambassador out of Tel Aviv in the immediate aftermath of the raid and, speaking at a press conference in Ankara, foreign minister Ahmet Davutoglu said ties would now be further downgraded.
"The time has come for Israel to pay a price for its illegal actions. This price, first of all, is being deprived of Turkey's friendship," he said.
"All officials above the level of second secretary, primarily the ambassador, will turn back to their country at the latest on Wednesday," he added.
"Second, all the military agreements between Israel and Turkey are suspended."
The foreign minister also says Turkey plans to challenge Israel's right to impose a blockade on Gaza before the International Court of Justice in The Hague, the United Nations' highest court.
The Turkish measures came after a leaked copy of the UN-mandated report criticised Israeli troops for using "excessive" and "unreasonable" force when boarding the ferry Mavi Marmara on May 31, 2010, leading to the deaths of nine people.
The report's release has been delayed several times because of the failure of Turkey and Israel to agree to a final version.
However, a UN spokesman says it is expected to be handed to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in coming days.
Turkey has repeatedly said relations will not return to normal unless Israel apologises and compensates the victims of the flotilla raid.
Turkey had been Israel's closest ally in the Muslim world, holding regular joint military exercises, but ties had been going steadily downhill since prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Islamist-rooted justice and development party (AKP) came to power in 2002.
They went into crisis when eight Turkish nationals and an American of Turkish descent died on the Mavi Marmara, the lead ship of the six-vessel convoy, after Israeli special forces in speed boats and dropped from helicopters boarded it in international waters.
AFP
Posted September 02, 2011 23:00:41
Source - ABC News
Turkey has expelled the Israeli ambassador to Ankara and suspended all military ties with its one-time ally after a UN report slammed the "excessive" force used in a raid on a Gaza aid flotilla.
A day after leaked extracts of the report into last year's commando raid appeared in the media, Turkey's foreign minister said Ankara had decided on a series of steps as a mark of protest
Although the report has yet to be released, Turkey's president, Abdullah Gul, said Ankara would reject it, regarding it as "null and void".
The Israeli government meanwhile indicated it would accept most of the findings, but claimed vindication over its right to impose a blockade on the Palestinian territory which is run by the Islamist movement Hamas.
Turkey pulled its ambassador out of Tel Aviv in the immediate aftermath of the raid and, speaking at a press conference in Ankara, foreign minister Ahmet Davutoglu said ties would now be further downgraded.
"The time has come for Israel to pay a price for its illegal actions. This price, first of all, is being deprived of Turkey's friendship," he said.
"All officials above the level of second secretary, primarily the ambassador, will turn back to their country at the latest on Wednesday," he added.
"Second, all the military agreements between Israel and Turkey are suspended."
The foreign minister also says Turkey plans to challenge Israel's right to impose a blockade on Gaza before the International Court of Justice in The Hague, the United Nations' highest court.
The Turkish measures came after a leaked copy of the UN-mandated report criticised Israeli troops for using "excessive" and "unreasonable" force when boarding the ferry Mavi Marmara on May 31, 2010, leading to the deaths of nine people.
The report's release has been delayed several times because of the failure of Turkey and Israel to agree to a final version.
However, a UN spokesman says it is expected to be handed to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in coming days.
Turkey has repeatedly said relations will not return to normal unless Israel apologises and compensates the victims of the flotilla raid.
Turkey had been Israel's closest ally in the Muslim world, holding regular joint military exercises, but ties had been going steadily downhill since prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Islamist-rooted justice and development party (AKP) came to power in 2002.
They went into crisis when eight Turkish nationals and an American of Turkish descent died on the Mavi Marmara, the lead ship of the six-vessel convoy, after Israeli special forces in speed boats and dropped from helicopters boarded it in international waters.
AFP