Palestinians welcome Turkey involvement in Gaza, Fayyad says
Lebanese newspaper reports Ankara may supervise Gaza crossings as part of a deal to repair ties between Israel and Turkey.
By Jack Khoury and Reuters Tags: Israel news Israel Turkey Abdullah Gul Gaza foltilla GazaThe Palestinians would support any move that would lift the Gaza blockade, including Turkey's possible involvement, Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad said Saturday.
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Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad in Ramallah June 10, 2010. |
| Photo by: Reuters |
Fayyad's comments came after the Lebanese Ad-Diyar newspaper quoted an Arab diplomatic source earlier Saturday, saying that Turkey could be given a central role in supervising the border crossings with the Gaza Strip as part of a deal to repair ties between Israel and Turkey.
The relationship between Israel and Turkey has deteriorated dramatically since the IDF raid on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla on May 31 in which nine people, including eight Turks and one Turkish-American, were killed.
"The Palestinian Authority welcomes any mediation that would lift the siege off Gaza," Fayyad told reporters, saying that alleviating the Strip's condition was "a general Palestinian interest, and doesn't strengthen this or that faction."
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Palestinian flags flutter at Israel's border with Gaza, April 6, 2010 |
| Photo by: AP |
The Palestinian PM also said that according to "international agreements, all of Gaza's border crossings should be opened, and not just the Rafah crossing," thus referring to the temporary opening of Gaza's southernmost border crossing announced by Egypt in the wake of the flotilla raid.
According to the Ad-Diyar report, a new deal could see Turkey supervising all humanitarian aid entering Gaza, as well as committing to the blocking of weapons and money destined for Hamas.
In this position, Turkey would play a meaningful role in lifting the blockade of Gaza and a central figure in the Middle East which will enable the Islamic country to mediate between Israel and the Arab world in the future, as Turkey has sought in the past.
The report has not yet been validated by Turkish or Israeli officials.
In his talk with reporters, Fayyad also expressed his hopes that the proximity peace talks with Israel would lead to direct negotiations which would, eventually, lead to the declaration of an independent Palestinian state.
The top PA official responded to criticism over the PA's boycott of settlement goods, saying that it was not an attempt to hurt Israel but a confiscation of goods produced in the settlements, who he said were considered an obstacle to peace.
On Friday Turkish President Abdullah Gul told the French daily Le Monde that Israel must make amends to be forgiven for a commando assault on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla, including apologizing for the attack and paying compensation.
Gul added that if Israel made no move to heal the rift, then Turkey could even decide to break diplomatic relations.
In an interview published on Friday, Gul said the Israeli attack at the end of May, which killed nine activists, was a "crime" which might have been carried out by the likes of al-Qaida rather than a sovereign state.
"It seems impossible to me to forgive or forget, unless there are some initiatives which could change the situation,"Gul was quoted as saying by Le Monde.
Asked what these might be, he said: "Firstly, to ask pardon and to establish some sort of compensation." He added that he also wanted to see an independent inquiry into the botched raid and a discussion on lifting Israel's blockade of Gaza.
Asked if Turkey might break relations with Israel if they did nothing, Gul said: "Anything is possible."
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I wonder if the Turkish government knows (or cares) about how strongly the American public supports Israel in this matter? We know, for example, that the Turkish politicians are playing to their own internal politics. So be it. But at least they ought not make demands on Israel that they know will not be met. THAT is jsut plain silly!
I thought Turkey might be a good mediator between Hamas and Israel; however, there are people who disagree because they do not like the AKP party. This might be a good idea as long as they do not upset Egypt; it was the Muslim Brotherhood that killed Sadat and is an Islamist party. However, Hamas was quoted in Hurriyet as saying it is not like Al Quaeda and the Taliban and that it believes in education and women's rights. This might boost the AKP party in Turkey; but I am not as certain as before that it would be the best party to win next election, as the CHP has a good and maybe better candidate running. AKP hasn't delivered so far in any of their foreign policy initiatives. Pakistan and Bhutto has some hand in wanting to form the Islamic bloc, with Iran having nukes, forming the Taliban and giving shelter to Al Quaeda. If they threatened Armenia, would that mean they are definitely a threat to Israel? What is Obama doing in Pakistan? It seems like Pakistan is the cause of some trouble and Obama wanted to concentrate on Pakistan, not Iraq or Iran. Syria did not want Turkey to break up with Israel; I think it is important to the peace process to keep ties. What do people want, another war? I am confused because we don't get much news; think about the millions of uneducated people in the world who don't get any news, and believe in conspiracy theories. If the internet connects people, it also gives a lot of people misinformation. As much as we post and write, Israel does seem to screw up again and again. Turkey is losing its military dictatorship, but what will come after, I am not sure. It could be just a civilian dictatorship, not a real democracy. Will we have to wait and see and hope it turns out well?
Look at videos related to "peaceful" GAZA voyage. listen to Turkish Captain. - The Turkish IHH is your personal fault. - The Turkish IHH is similar to Al Qaida. - Turkey should bring apology to Israel.
Slowly but certainly Turks areputing themself on the driving wheel.Israel will loose control on Gaza and islamic regime will have the position to take the decisions.This is how the ottoman empire will be restored.
Most of the comments here demonstrate that, more often than not, that by believing your own propaganda you paint yourself into a box. America in Vietnam, Bush in Iraq, Israel and anyone who disagrees with its policies. If Israeli propaganda were true then the only logical course would be to break relations with Turkey and prepare for war. Not that great of an idea. But the propaganda makes other alternatives impossible.
Might as well ask Iran to supervise the crossings into Gaza.
Almost the whole world including arab and muslim regimes are coopering in this blockade which is making life of 1.8 millons in Gaza miserable. Israel and its supporters are setting recods in cruelity and indifference. Hypocresy is shown grossly when they seek freedom for one Israeli soldeir made prisoner in a brave act. But, all those acting against human norms will pay and will be defeated. Agents of Israel are doomed. Turkey is trusted and when Erdogan says he will not turn his back on the poors of Gaza, he is defending a noble cause. Shame on the hypocrsy of the West and Israel.
a lot of people in the West came out to the streets against the Israeli action. a lot of people in the West were on the ships sailing with help to the Gazans! Please do not put us all in the same pot, because we live in democracies that allow us to speak up, for or against, freely and that is why that many westerners are against the blockade. Nonetheless most of us are against all types of dictatorships, even when disguised as democracies...
Let them look after their brothers, they will soon learn what the Egyptians did, good luck Turkey, you shall never belong to the E U so maybe a Pali Police, got to be somewhat usefull.
Erdogan and Gul are islamic radicals, they are in a different disguise now but they still are islamic radicals. Turkish army should be the sole arbiter in this inspection business if it comes through, any other Turkish institution is bound to mess it up.
Oh my God ! Israelis are really shaking with fear ! I'll bet for a Coup by the Turkish military before the end of 2010 ! Erdogan and Gul will end up in Trukish cells very soon ! Mark my words !
and it will be a good idea if Liberman to visit Turkey and the families of the dead, and offer them helping hand, it will change everything I know Turks they will welcome this and will make things %50 better
the man is selling out israel brick by brick.
which could be followed by the recreation of the common industrial center, which may solve some of the Gaza unemployment problem and modify some anti- israelis points of vew
If there is a drop of truth in this story,Israel would be crazy to allow it.The most ardent iranian surrogates guarding the gazas crossings??/ It's like the proverbial fox guarding the chicken coop
the idea that islamist, hamas, terror supporting turkey would be allowed a central role in supervising gaza crossings, is an insane joke.
Turkey is not islamist. It is a secular State, this means, religion and state affairs are separate matters, and this unlike Israel, where religion seems to rule many aspects of life and the state itself. And why do you find it bad? Afterall they are big players in the region, for centuries the best friend of Jews, as you know, received the expelled Jews from Spain and Portugal, and modern Turkey has been one of your best friends in the last decades. So maybe this is a v. good way of finding a way back to friendship between the 2 countries.
is Israel not realizing that its ILLEGAL occupation of palestinian territories is the only reason for all this mess!!!
Just whom would you suggest to control the border? Israel? Israel can no longer be trusted in any interational policy.
do in Lebanon. To make sure all the weapons reach their destination.
It is Turkey who needs to compensate the families of those who were killed because it was Turkey who is 75% to blame for this whole mess in the first place. Their irresponsible behavior and cavalier attitude to become a player in the Mid East Israeli-Arab Game went to it's head like too muck Arak.
regularly by its glorious moral soldiers?
it sounds like a good idea. However, Turkey is not an islamic country as written by the journalist. Turkey is a secular country with clear separation between the State and Religion unlike Israel.
Why on earth would we let Turkey see what is going into Gaza???? I mean is this a joke? Whoever came up with this idea must have missed the news for the last few months.
One can only remember he historical equivalences: How the Swiss protected the Nazi border by stealing from the Jews to finance the Nazis; how the Brits protected the borders by sinking ships carrying Jewish refugees;
On the one hand, Turkey wants to improve its relations with Israel but on the other, it funded the IHH 'peace' activists. Turkey has lost its impartiability - might as well hand over the weapons to Hamas directly & cut out the middle man.
Israel has very good reasons why it does not want to see weapons in the hands of Hamas. My guess is that Hamas or the PA is not too happy with all the sofisticated arms in the hands of IDF and IAF either. What I don't understand is why just of one the parties concerned should have all the weapons it wants and the other none. Hamas is explicit that it does not want Israel to exist. But what are the signs that Israel would accept a sovereign Palestine with an army of its own choosing?
Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005/2006 to enable a soverign Palestinian territory. BUT palestinians didn't have an army to thwart Hamas' infiltration into Israel and hence, Israel was forced to control the Gaza border and monitor Gaza. Israel certainly doesn't oppose to a sovereign palestine - that would mean the IDF would be able to concentrate its efforts elsewhere and not be so tied down with gaza - a territory in which there are no Israeli citizens to protect
The Gaza strip was taken by Israel from Egypt in 1967 and ought to go back to them. It really is quite simple. Then, Gaza can be part of a large country and, so long as they remain peaceful, enjoy all the fruits of Egyptian citizenship.
hope israel will not fall in such trap again ; the turkish government is playing another game and is unreliable
A state such as the Barbaric Republic of Turkey (BRT), cannot be involved in anything like this. If Israel agrees to this preposterous suggestion, then Israel is guilty for allowing the BRT in getting away with mass murder. Stop giving the BRT avenues of escape from its past crimes; or don't you people read history. They are using the Arab/Israeli conflict as a smokescreen to distract people from the hideous crimes against humanity. Oh, before writing a rely that Turkey suffered casualties as well - casualties of perpetrators do not count.
That must be the joke of the year. Turkey has aspiration to be another Ottoman Empire so why would Israel trust Turkey?
That's what they do with the Armenians, but it won't work with Israel!
Turkey must return to Armenia 2/3 of Armenian territory it occupies now, take responsibility for 1915 genocide, pull out from northern Cyprus, and grant independence to Kurdistan. Otherwise its presence on Gaza border will be just like to let another thug in.
of making collective suicide to "clean" the world from us Turks? You'd like that, right? And you should know that in the region what you call "Armenian territory" live kurdish inhabitants. So what would you like to have, Great-Armenia or Kurdistan? Both would not work!
of making collective suicide to "clean" the world from us Turks? You'd like that, right? And you should know that in the region what you call "Armenian territory" live kurdish inhabitants. So what would you like to have, Great-Armenia or Kurdistan? Both would not work!
I wonder if it's true. Either way Turkey has shown it is not a neutral party.
In this case I think you should let HAMAS itself to control and monitor the gates to GAZA - it will be the same.......................fool israeli government
THE Turkey sponsored FLOTSAM FLOTILLA WAS ALL EROGADANS DOING...HE IS RUNNING FOR HEAD OF ARAB LEAGUE He's afraid of assassins...and well should be, this betrayer of the western democracies