In sign of warming ties, Turkey FM reportedly meets Hamas chief

NATO won't expel Turkey! All NATO needs to do is to look at the map of Turkey. And voila! NATO sees Turkey controlling the Dardanelles, the Bosphorus and the Sea of Marmara that strategically connect the Black Sea and the Aegean Sea. Black Sea states like Russia and NATO members Romania and Bulgaria and NATO aspirant Georgia must pass through Turkey to get to the Mediterranean. NATO needs Turkey more than Turkey needs NATO.

You should say that idea goodbye. Because Huseyin Dirioz, who was former Foreign Affairs Chief Adviser of Turkish Presidency, has been assigned as Deputy of NATO Secretary General and Turkey is getting stronger every day in NATO. Turkey is a key member of all critical NATO operations.

crappy country and religious nuts ! think again. where is israel and who lives there.

crappy country and religious nuts ! think again. where is israel and who lives there.

and we are willing to burn everything for the things we think right to do. maybe you are used to deal with coward dictators and just cannot accept WE are not one of them.

All I can tell you is that I am not much worried for Israel but I am seriously worried for Turkey. After all it is the land where I was born raised educated, served in its military. I can only wish the best fr Turkey but I am very concerned.

i'm pretty sure that you have coward as a dictator. YOU just don't except it. Soon you will come to America and see real rights for human beings, real life

Turkey is desperate to enter the EU , but has had some issues there. They continue to support and defend radical islamic groups and marginalize themselves everyday. Israel does not seek favor from her neighbors. These nations are so far behind the modern world in so many asects that Israel has pulled light-years away and will never look back. It is those nations who sould seek Israel's approval and therefore the approval of the modern world.

so the only ones that would listen to them is hamas and assad and the rest of the unsavoury gang in the region. Israel is only isolated by its islamic foes...

Speak for yourself or don't speak at all.

you can try to target the sentences's real meaning, it is also good to remember Adorno and his ideas undead for better understand today

Ending relationship with Turkey helps both parties right? If this relationship is not fixed and stayed in this current messiness, talking of a stability in the region would be nothing but a joke. Status-quo cannot be sustained. Governments need to step up and make bold moves, especially Israel's. Although fragile government of Israel don't have ability to do such acts.

Greg, which Turkish occupation are you referring to? Let the readers know with information about your source.

Cyprus !!!

If you read that breathtakingly long sentence the other fellow made, you'll notice that he was making a direct referrence to the Kurds. As for Cyprus, I wouldn't argue there is no occupation, and it would be too arduous to talk about the history of Cyprus.

How about northern Cyprus? How about Kurdistan (eastern Turkey)? Now who's the "unintelligent boy"???

it is fully pity!

So all will be in the right direction, No Nukes in ME including Israil, not excluding Israil

I have not seen any news out in the world that reported Turkish Military bombarded Kurdish villages, let alone killed civilians. Turkish hostility towards Kurds? I don't know where to start.. Do you know that Turkish border opened in Desert Storm for over 1 million Kurdish refugees which were at the time fleeing from Saddam?

Every time Turkey upsets Israelis then those Israelis become great champoins of the Kurdish cause. Otherwise, they couldn't care less.

First of all, I must tell my feelings about the goverment of turkey. I am deeply concern about their recent actions supporting hamas and possible involment about the flotilla affair. You can all critize their actions which are not their business. But I am confident that the overwhelming majority of turkish population support secularism and the overwhelming majority also do not have any hostility towards kurds. You can see them in every part of the society occuyping many important positions relevant to their numbers.I think you should dig this issue a little bit more . Turkish forces are very carefull about bombings and treating kurdish people as they paid a heavy price in the past imposed by the eurepean right court. Moreover, Nobody have managed to show any damages done by the air force in the northern Iraq.

There are many inaccuracies in your comment. I have studied and researched that region, along with parts of the ME, so let me enlighten you. Firstly, there are no "Kurdish villages filled with civilians" in the north of Iraq where Turkish jets have been attacking -- it is almost a purely mountainous region. Secondly, there is no evidence of any civilian casualties. Thirdly, there is no such thing as "constant hostility by Turkey towards Kurds" -- this is also a myth. Particularly in the 80's, there sometimes was unrest between the security establishment and a section of the population during times of civilian disorder, which often took place in mainly Kurdish populated south-eastern Turkey, where in the past there has been comparably low investment and infrastructural development. That can and should be criticized, although things have been changing lately. But I urge you to be open-minded and wise when acquiring your information. And your comment about Israel being involved in the Moslem world is pure genius... what a great idea -- Israeli involvement in the Moslem world to change its fate. Keep it up!

Only we made some mistakes which lead to pain our brothers. We are trying to make it up. We try to correct ourselves for better. We know that we owe them a lot.

In my opinion is very difficult to define an overwhelming majority in Turkey. People are divided in every issue in a diffrent way. But from a political distribution point of view MHP is the third largest party and their members are known to be a bit racist and strongly anti Kurd. So far the party with most votes AKP also is a Sunni party and does not like Alevis and Bektashis very much. (Remember the madimak incident in Sivas where Alevi's and Bektashis were burned by the ultra religious?) As you see it is hard to say that overwhelming majority do not have any hostility towards Kurds. I know very well that there is also hidden hatr3ed among many who say they like Kurds. I used to work for a big chemicals and dies manufacturer owned by a Kurd (He is well known but I can not name him without his consent) in Istanbul. Although he was well established and assimilated to life in Istanbul we used to experience some animosity towards him and his family at times.

SPOT ON!!

Turkey as a full member, and that is the basis for Turkey's recent moves. Both Bibi and Lib could have done better by Israel to have resolved the flotilla issue differently on a tactical level but there is nothing they or a different Government could do in long term. Turkey sees the the EU move as an insult to their national pride and are re-aligning at the expense of the US and Israel.

Isn't your fondest wish that Israel be harmed ? What benefit will the Pals derive from Israel defusing the blockade issue ? Isn't it better for you & the Pals that Israel not defuse the issue ? I am confident that all of you Israel haters, will be the ones frustrated at the end.

Turkey will never be Iran. It's not logical to interpret it just thinking over recent events. I don't think Obama lost Turkey. If there is a country who lost something, it was Israel who lost it's only friend in the region.

Relations between Turkey and Israel were broken off in the 70's, so the relationship had ups and downs. Iran is ruled by idealogues and Iran can support itself from the oil income; it can remain xenophobic for now. Turkey is dependent on trade for now, so business relations between Turkey, Israel, USA will probably survive. I think Turkey is a more complicated country than Iran because of its location and politics.

with freinds like Turkey who needs enemies !!! I prefer Egypt !!!

I have many old real secular Turkish friends that find me to be a real Turkish patriot (Not vatan haini as you said) . In fact there is only one political hero that I respect and that hero is Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.

the world is just the same as the last 1400 years : islam vs the rest of the world

You clearly don't know your own history very well then... Now here's a quick history lesson. The Catholics of Spain, Portugal and France kicked you out, and rest of Europe turned their backs. Who welcomed 250,000 of your forefathers? The Muslim Ottomans!!

And there is no accupation in Gaza, so how you want to end the siege if the only thing they know is terror?

PKK is not fighting for independence. They are not "freedom fighters". They are terrorists who kill innocent civilians. Hamas also does that too, maybe less than IDF. See what I did there?

and we know that. everybody knows that.

Jews were humiliated for millenia and an apology, even an insincere one, would have been thought as no problem at all. We are now in a new era, and different Jewish groups adopted different modes of behavior. There were the majority pragmatists, but the Revisionists put great emphasis on national honor, according to the Jabotinsky teaching of "Hadar" (Honor)). Arlozorov was assassinated (1933) because he dared to negotiate a deal with Nazi Germany to allow Jews out, thus "stained national honor". M. Begin threatened a civil war when Israel agreed to the Reparation Agreement with post-war Germany. Honor! With the refusal to apologize to Turkey, thus giving up a major achievement of Israeli diplomacy which already David Ben-Gurion pursued, we come back to this issue which afflicts "true" Likudniks. The recent former Russians are of course not ideologues, just Brute Soviets. They object to apologizing in principle, lest you appear weak. Houston, we have a problem!

No apology will solve the breakdown between Turkey and Israel. Turkey has chosen this path long ago and its PM has decided to realign his policy. Turkey wants to be again a determining force in the Arab world and not to align with the "Zionist" regime and Europe.

You are absolutely right.

Lieberman has a reason for this unfounded claim, he doesn't want his this Israeli government to be held responsible for the breakup. What is your excuse? Now, instead of talking such generalities, why don't you become specific? When did Turkey adopt this view? Does it have any relation to Turkey's request to join the EU? Did Turkey withdraw its application to join the EU? Try a little harder, Reuven. It is not enough to come up with theories not anchored in some reality.

"and Turkey is also a part of Nato, so its a respected member of the European community" Canada is part of NATO, USA is part of NATO, being a part of the North Atlantic Treaty Organzation does not make you a respected member of Europe. NOR DOES IT MAKE YOU PART OF EUROPE. If you are an American Diplomat, well its understandable why your country is losing its grip as a unilateral superpower, they have forgotten the value of meritocracy

It may have two reasons Turkey is mediating. It does on her ownself or she is asked by different conflicting group including Israel and Iran to do so. I say this because according to Iranian officials, US congress and European Union have reduced their tension with Iran and have asked for a negotiation. In last 30 years , it is the first time US congress offers to negotiate with Iran. Any deal between Iran and US, should includ Hamas and Israel as well. I am not sure , but it is quit possible it is the senario.

Being part of NATO does make you a responsible member of the international community because it anchors the member nations within a framework of mutual respect and protection, and the nations in question, UK, USA, CANADA, etc are key players within the international community, linking all of them together (attack one, you attack all) hence Israel would never become a member because it would put the European, the US and Turkey at a greater risk of going into war with the east for issues that are national to europe but not critical to the rest of the member (retaining west bank, jerusalem, state of the Palestinians, etc) - Turkey is part of Europe, geographically in part, and culturally it has been part of Europe from the hellenistic times. The next world war will take place in the middle east, and I dare say that more people will die and nothing of value will ever grow in Palestine/Israel because of nuclear fallout. Then there might be peace, no land really to fight over.

Greece is also a member of NATO, but in never stopped Turkey from threatening Greece with war.

The conflicted is rooted from pre-nato times and the cold war played a crucial role in that the west needed Turkey as a key ally and the subsequent conflict is within Nato member states, should Greece be part of Nato, and not Turkey, then an attack on Turkey would draw in the United States, France and UK into the conflict. This is a risky proposition then to include Israel - that would put the whole of Nato in a perpetual war with the Muslim world, a population that is rapidly growing within nato nations - to say nothing of Turkey.

I read a good article in JPost to beware the prophets of doom. The Jewish people has always survived.

Israel does not follow the advise of defeatist diplomats.if it did it would have ceased to exist. Israel wioll not create another terrorist state called Palestine like you did with Pakistan and Afghanistan, Ask India how they feel about that. Islam has long ago declared war on the Western world with the 9/11 and fort Hope attacks. but you choose to ignore that. Europe will not let Turkey into its community, Europeans are too well aware of the dangers of Islam, but don't despair Israel shows that not all is lost against Islam. That is why Muslims constantly complain about Israel and Zionism.

That no one in the region likes Israel, is no news. No one in Europe liked us Jews, when we lived there, either. This does not prove that we did anything wrong there.

There was never any.. and Turkey hijacked a imaginary peace negotiation? Let's assume this negotiation started for "peace". Turkey started peace talks between Syria-Israel and tried to intervene on Shalits release on behalf of Israel.

completely agree! that is the only way to get out of this mess....but this is also the only way islamic countries will never accept to do cause israel is the enemy of their prophet and must be destroyed....therefore the only realistic way israel can win is destroy islamic countries around it, submit them as they deserve for the good of israel and for the good of all the free world.

Hamas has already agreed to recognise Israel in June 2006 but was ignored. It doesnt matter what the Pals do Israel, like ll colonies, only understands force. It is a country built on terrorism BTW. How many rockets have been fired INTO Gaza?

Wrong! Wrong! Wrong! Hamas has not agreed to any such a thing. Hamas has agreed to a Hudna, which means a tactical cease fire, similar to the agreement that Mohamed has made with the Jewish tribes in the Arabian Peninsula. An agreement he violated when he felt strong enough.

Israel is constantly asked to intervene for the good of some in the free world.but does not do it.Israel takes care of its own survival and hopes the rest of the world will do too.

recognition would include revising the Palestinian chartersand remove the articles about the destruction of Israel.

From everything I've researched on the subject that is precisely the case. But those who propagate propaganda for their own personal agendas have done very well in this regard. Think I'll start my own such machine by repeating exactly what you have said every time I hear this ludicrous piece of misinformation.

The EU is unlikely to accept Turkey as a member state anytime soon. There are supporters of Turkey but there are too many who would block Turkeys entrance. NATO is a totally different matter. Turkey was a key NATO member during the cold war. Turkey had American and NATO bases which stored nukes and Turkey had many American listenposts spying upon the Soviets. Today, Turkey is even more vital to NATOs defense. Turkey is the only nation (other than Iraq) which has borders with iran, iraq, and Syria, all potential mideast hotspots. A number of NATO commands have moved from Germany to Turkey. NATO needs Turkey very badly. Turkeys membership in NATO will not be at stake no matter how bad Turkeys relations are with Israel. America will work very hard to avoid having their bases closed down in Turkey. America has had an important airbase in Incirlik Turkey for more than 50 years.

Maybe she is asked to mediate by opposing groups like US , ISrael , Syria and Iran! So it would get more power!

You're a victim of your own propaganda. Nobody in Europe thinks Erdogan is a terrorist. Other matters divide us from Turkey. So don't mix social and economic fears with the word you love more: "terrorism". Facts are on the table: extremism belongs today to israel, no Liebermann on Netanyahu is in the Turkish government.

We don't accept the theft of land from Palestinians or the use of "demographic problem" of its minorities, just like we stop accepting people looking at Jews of Europe in the same way before the liquidation of the jew

contribution in the past to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO, Jehudah is right, can't afford having a member state that collaborates at the same time with Iran, Syria, North Korea in addition to organizations such as Hizbullah and Hamas; it simply can't be and Turkey will simply have to be let go and join its new Islamist alliance.

Your goverment can not differetiate who is Turkey's friend and foe. Where their interest is to be with Israel or not. Israel shared her terror experience with Turkey. Everybody knows Abdullah ocallan was surrrendered to Turkey by Mossad. You have to understand you can not get rid of PKK without the aid of Israel. Israel was supplying either with Herons or information about PKK. Turkey shotted to her leg and thanks to Israel by sending a flottillal. Now you are in the mid of civil war. Day in day out every day in a month you are loosing 50-100 soldiers. It seems you are going to stop these blood by strengthing ties with HAMAS and making foe Israel.

and more importantly, why would Syria agree? It's not like Syria has enough work to go around for it's own citizens.

unlike most israelis and their parents and grandparents were born in europe and the americas

they the arab/bedouins who call themselves pali's should be in transjordan aka jordan.

Palestinians are not native to Israel. Thousands of years ago the Romans fought the Jews not the Palestinians. Unless you are some kind of revisionist?

Your headline appropriately fits israel and US.

If everyone goes by your approach, you wouldn't find a country in the West that deals with Israel today. Israel has one of the most extremist govt it ever had. I say Israel should apologize and compensate the flotilla families. Constant defiance by this government of Israel leads to more isolation and hostility towards it

Why do you equate Israel to the West? Turkey may indeed sever its ties with Israel, but that doesn't mean it is distancing itself from the West. If anything it is Israel that is becoming every more isolated as an apartheid pariah state.

truly

I read Hurriyet Milliyet Haberturk Sabah Zaman every day. I follow Oktay Eksi, Cuneyt Ulsever, Semih Idiz, kadri Gursel, Mehmet Yilmaz, Ahmet Hakan, Ahmet Altan, Yasemin Congar, fatih Altayli, Bekir Coskun, Fehmi Koru, Abdurrahman Dilipak and many more. With the execption of the last few who happen to be AKPs Vuvuzela, most are writing that AKP is now facing South East instead of West. The AKP vuvuzelas also are saying that Turkey is better off by being part of the Arab world (Abdurrahman Dilipak, Nihal Bengisu etc)

Why Israel does not use Turkey as an intermediate for ^peace with Iran and Hamas ? Becaise Iran and Hamas declare that their goal is to wipe Israel off the map, Don't pretend that you didn't know about it.

iran has a right and so does hamas we see israel is trigger happy at bombing countries.every country has a right to defend itself. premtive attacks are bull and the ones who did more then any other country was israel

Why would Iran want to wipe out Israel? I never really understood this animosity between them. The two states are not even neighbors, and they both fought bloody wars with their Arab neighbors. Why then do they hate each other so much? By the principle of "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" they should actually be alies.

You think they really want destroying Israel? Every body knows and beleive Isarel Exists. US uses Israel as a way for threatening IRan and Iran uses Hamas and Hezbollah to reduce these pressures.It is all calculations. If Iran gets Peace with US and Israel , and you create a palestinian state, there is nobody who affraid from others. So no claim for destruction of nobody. Do not forget that your palesticians are not better than Iranian palesticians.The people should weaken them by not beleiving in them and pushing for peace.

You are right,Natalli, we must recognice a paradigme shift when we see it, and the Turkish new stance sice the Gaza war of 2008 certainly are.

What mass killing! what are you talking about Darfu? get your facts right. Turkey you and the rest of Arabia can lick an elephants butt ...cheers!

Agaun a verbel dyharea by The Durson

and completly out of touch. You and your kind have lied soooo long you acually believe them. turkey and human rights what a oxymoron. the arab/bedouins project their dasterdley deeds onto the israeli's. When was tyhe last time you heard about jewish people throwing stones, running people over with bulldozer's, hacking Children with axes, smashing in the heads of Children with rifle butts. NEVER EVER, the arabs are animals. So nuttilie Please save your reterik for your arab/bedouin brethern.

Israel has successfully ended the Intifada and the Gaza rocket fire. Not one shot fired from Hizballah since 2006. Every front is currently quiet, terrorism in Israel is at an all time low, only one casualty in 2010. Israelis know that to suppress terror means to lose support around the world and to be lambasted constantly. They are OK with this, if it means they can be safe in their own cities. It is Ehud Olmert who actually deserves the credit for ending terror here- both wars were on his watch and now both Hamas and Hezbollah think twice before raising a finger. Israel's deterrence is at an all time high.

Israel has successfully ended the Intifada and the Gaza rocket fire. Not one shot fired from Hizballah since 2006. Every front is currently quiet, terrorism in Israel is at an all time low, only one casualty in 2010. Israelis know that to suppress terror means to lose support around the world and to be lambasted constantly. They are OK with this, if it means they can be safe in their own cities. It is Ehud Olmert who actually deserves the credit for ending terror here- both wars were on his watch and now both Hamas and Hezbollah think twice before raising a finger. Israel's deterrence is at an all time high.

If Turkey has already broken the blockade, then why are they talking about breaking the seige on Gaza!!!!! Now, about the rest of your bald, unsupported assertions of purported facts: Israel is not taking the last of Palestinian land, this is just more extreme rhetoric with no facts behind it. Any Palestininian terrorism is labled terrorism-because that's what terorrism is called.!!! America, and nearly all the civilized world, are not fooled by Arab efforts to demonize Israel and the Jews. There are no mass killings of Palestinians as a result of "crisis points"-get real! Unless you call rab bad behavior a "crisis point". It is only the Arab apologists who call who was on the flotilla "peace activists"-LOL!!! As to "strangling" the Palestinian population-again supportive facts are what drive substantive arguments, not empty words . . Turkey has assumed the leadership of nothing, just continued supprt for Islamic extremists and murderers. Proof? The blockade will not be lifted, especially now because of Turkey's antics.

get ready for more actions from around the world in support of the people in Gaza.

Trie friends of israel support this state. Enemies of israel will always remain hostile towards her.. What about Erdogan's Turkey, Europe and NATO states actually don't trust current Turkish Leadership.

Its almost laughable the you lefties complain about Bibi and his right wing government. You people could not get along with Olmert and his left wing government. Lefties will never be able to get along with anyone.

..Secretary of Nato will be Turkish in August. How does this coincide with your argument?

The cost of the current quiet and non existent terror in Israel is isolation. Terror is at its lowest level in israel's history, thanks to two major wars and strong intelligence from Shin Bet. Israelis don't mind europeans criticizing them if it means their own children can have a normal life.

killed our citizens

not your citizens; its IHH's citizens Ok? They are not Turkish at all.

From their conffessions before they get killed on the way to Gaza they sware to be shahids. It is all recorded in videos. After take away the ship also a lot of guys conffessed that they were very sad that would not be killed. Sorry but they commit a suicide. This was not their fault, rather. Turkey, Israels best friend wanted to scratch Israels belly. Erdogan and Davutoğlu sends his own citizen to death. The sole culprit in this affair is your goverment.

and ataturk,turkey's greatest modern figure,had strong jewish ties in youth.thessaloniki.

You shall be grateful of riddance of such thugs

Turkish citizens died after Turkey helped lay a trap for Israel. Just goes to prove what you get if you trust islamists: a knife in the back.

the kurds.

Relationships deteriorated ever since that government came to power. The man that said he doesn't believe there's a genocide in Sudan simply due to the fact that their president is Muslim shows what's on his mind.

What ever "friend" like yourself advices must be taken as the best advice not to do. You are sleeping and dreaming of distraction of Israel. Better be quite because your advices are working against your own wishes.

With friends like Turkey who needs enemies. And save your crocodile tears; those who blame Israel for defending itself should not pretend to care for it.

Turkey had a much more Islamist partiy in power during the 90's, and the Israeli-Turkish relationship was still excellent. The Israeli-Turkish relationship was also excellent even after Erdogan came to power. Turkey was mediating talks between Gaza and Israel while Olmert was in Ankara. He went back to Israel saying that he would consult with the government, and Operation Cast Lead started the next day. Turkey felt betrayed, and the humanitarian tragedy that came with the war only made things worse.

country's politics"? They were talking about the siege of Gaza. That is the Pal's country and they have the right to include Turkey in the discussion if they want. And of course Israel never interferes with other countries politics, right? Such as when they did not like the outcome of the last PA election, they imprisoned most of the MK's from the winning party to void the democratic election, then started the Siege to collectively punish the voters.

I totally aggree with you. I dont understand that why all countries touch Israel's things like politics, wars...etc. Their conception of democracy and parliamentary system are the best although there are lots of complex issues in its legitimacy.

Sorry but how you possess Israel's territory as Palestine's. The history demonstrates the opposite one, OK! Israel also thinks Gaza's troubles. But, nothing is done. Cause Hamas destroys his own Palestine's citizens. All the rights are taken from them and also they are complainin of Hamas, too. Do you know this?

Do you feel the same about the 60 year siege that Israel has been enduring from its outrageous neighbors?

If the 1948 Charter had been adhered to instead of the Zionist goal of taking judea and Samaria advanced, maybe this wouldn't be happening. Playing the victims time has run out. AIPAC uses America very well but the American people are awakening.

Gazans don't. There is no comparison. Gazans also cannot export so are forced to lead a dependent existence - like animals in a zoo.

"There is no comparison." You're right. Israeli society isn't comprised of terror organizations which set out to blow up as many civilians as possible, nor do they launch rockets indiscriminately after having an entire territory handed to them.

you're right, it's crazy not to talk to your neighbor. especially when that neighbor explicitly calls for your destruction in their founding charter!

When it clearly said no negotiation, we want you dead and a single Arab state from Jordan to sea. It's in it's charter.

What to speak with them about? How get to sea shore faster or less painful? Get back to reality!