ANALYSIS / Whatever Turkey does, it will be bad for Israel and good for Hamas
One thing is already clear - the raid on the Gaza flotilla has dealt Turkey-Israel ties an official, public blow.
By Zvi Bar'el Tags: Gaza flotilla Gaza IDF HamasThe Turkish government's political-security cabinet convened Monday morning to assess its options on an official Turkish response to Israel's attack on the Gaza aid convoy, in which IDF troops killed civilians with live ammunition.
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Turkish police stand guard in front of the residence of Israeli Ambassador Gabby Levy during a pro-Palestinian protest in Ankara on May 31, 2010. |
| Photo by: Reuters |
According to Turkish sources, the Ankara government is currently deliberating on a series of steps it may take. But one thing is already clear - relations between Israel and Turkey have already suffered an official, public blow which will affect the nature of those ties from here on out.
Turkey has many options, and every one will affect Israel negatively. Among the available options are a lawsuit against Israel for violating international law and attacking Turkish vessels without provocation, calling on the UN Security Council for an emergency meeting, and engaging Egypt in direct talks in order to convince Cairo to open the Rafah crossing and to officially recognize the Hamas government.
The various political and diplomatic options that stand before Turkey also play well into the hands of Hamas, which has been granted Turkish and international support, and is now demanding of Egypt to quit acting like Israel and open the Rafah crossing with Gaza.
With this move, Hamas hopes to shatter the policy of sanctions Israel has imposed on Gaza. Egypt hoped it would not have to get involved in blocking the Gaza aid convoy and that Israel would take the responsibility exclusively upon itself. But Cairo is now starting to feel the strain, and is beginning to understand that it will need to provide practical answers to the public pressure Turkey and other Arab states are exerting.
Ismail Haniyeh, the Hamas leader in Gaza, knew better than Israel when he predicted that even if the aid convoy did not reach Gaza, Gaza would have won. So while Haniyeh's political rivals, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and his prime minister Salam Fayad, are engaging in indirect negotiations with Israel, and while the United States is pushing the two parties into direct talks, the Israel Defense Forces is kicking the diplomatic initiative down the drain. How can Abbas and Fayad continue negotiations, even indirect ones, when a flotilla meant to provide humanitarian aid to Gaza gets attacked?
Hamas can now pat itself on the back for another achievement - the resistance it is now advocating is non-violent, and conducted through international organizations, thereby eliminating the need for rocket fire.
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However much you want good relations with your neighbours- how much you have to sacrifice to do so can sometimes be far too costly. Turkey has chosen it's path long before this event. Turkey has it's own problems and will choose it's own way. Israel has to get used to that and not count on Turkey for anything.
It was a turkinh vessel with turkish citizens on board. Did the government know about the protesters plans for violence and to try to kill any ISraeli soldiers that tried to comandeer the ship? Seems Turkey loves to damn ISrael, but what exactly did Turkey know about this event in advance. Seems her responses were too pat and too quick. As for the protesters. What stupid actions they took. taking away weapons from armed soldiers is a quick way to get yourself killed and others as well. was this part of Turkeys original agenda get af ew nationals killed and then blow it out of proportions. Only time will tell
Come on, you cannot fool us, the main matter does not seem Hamas, but Turkey's growing power all around Mid-East.
Come on, you cannot fool us, the main matter does not seem Hamas, but Turkey's growing power all around Mid-East.
It's obvious that the entire thing was planned by Hamas/Iran. It was no peace convoy, and among the food and clothes on that aid convoy there were also guns. It was all well planned by the terrorists who knew this kind of thing is a lose-lose situation for Israel, if they let the ships get to Gaza- the terrorists of the Hamas in Gaza get an yearly supply of firearms, if they don't let the ship pass- Hamas gets to shoot a bunch of soldiers who have to defend themselves. It's a shame how a lot of people get sucked into the Palestinian propoganda.I'm sure there were a lot of people on those ships who genuinely wanted to help Gaza, but once again Hamas shows that the more citizens it can push into the crossfire, the better.
After all, a Turkish-flagged ship was attacked on the high seas by Israel, and that's an act of war in anyone's language. Turkey can declare that this was an attack upon Turkey, and then call on NATO countries to live up to their obligations under the NATO charter. Barak and his keystone cops have really stuffed up this time.....
has done in their name. Israeli forces attacked a ship owned by a member of NATO in International waters, killing at least 10 of that country's civilians. Regardless of the rights or wrongs of the siege on gaza. That simple fact in itself should be making Israelis ponder what it is exactly that their government is doing. Israel is in serious trouble
has done in their name. Israeli forces attacked a ship owned by a member of NATO in International waters, killing at least 10 of that country's civilians. Regardless of the rights or wrongs of the siege on gaza. That simple fact in itself should be making Israelis ponder what it is exactly that their government is doing. Israel is in serious trouble
Israel should end ties with Turkey. Since Erdogan rose to power, Turkey has taken a decidedly anti-West stand and moved toward an Islamic country. Israel and the US are foolish to continue the status-quo. Israel and the US should seize this moment to express its indignation with Turkey, not vice versa.