Turkey policy paper: Israel's actions threaten Mideast
Ankara's National Security Council names Israel as central threat to Turkey's security for first time since 1949, fails to mention Iran, Syria.
By Haaretz Service Tags: Israel news Turkey IranTurkey's already tense relations with Israel continued their apparent downward spiral on Saturday as Channel 10 reported that a central Ankara policy paper defined Israel as a central threat to Turkey's security, blaming Jerusalem's policies for destabilizing the entire region.
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A banner featuring a picture of Turkey PM A banner featuring a picture of Turkey PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan outside a souvenir shop in Gaza City outside a souvenir shop in Gaza City, June 6, 2010. |
| Photo by: AP |
Tensions between Israel and Turkey peaked earlier this year, following a deadly Israeli raid aboard a Turkish aid ship sailing to Gaza in attempt to violate the Israeli naval blockade. On May 31, Israeli navy commandos boarded the Mavi Marmara and killed nine Turkish activists on board after facing violence from the passengers.
The Channel 10 report on Saturday, citing Turkish media outlets, said Turkey's National Security Council rectified an amendment to Ankara's central policy paper, nicknamed the "secret constitution," defining Israel as "a central threat to Turkey."
"The region's instability stems from Israeli actions and policy, which could lead to an arms race in the Middle East," the paper outlining Turkey's foreign and home policy for the next five years said, adding that those actions posed "a major threat on Turkey."
Channel 10 also said Turkish media dubbed the amendment "historic," as it represented the first time Israel had been seen as a threat on Turkey since 1949. The document fails to mention Iran or Syria as outside threats, apparently as a result of Ankara's recently improved relations with both states.
Earlier this month Haaretz quoted Turkish reports as expecting that, for the first time since the Cold War, Turkey to remove Iran, Iraq, Russia, and Greece from their list of "threatening countries."
The reports claimed that such a move would directly affect Turkey's foreign policy, as laid out by Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ahmet Davutoğlu, whose goal is to rid Turkey of any problems with its neighbors.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan reiterated his demand that Israel apologize for its May attack on the Gaza flotilla, saying “Israel must apologize to Turkey and pay compensation for the state terrorism in the Mediterranean."
"If it does not, it will be doomed to remain isolated in the Middle East,” Erdogan added.
The Turkish premier also criticized the United States for continuing to support Israel after the "uncivilized" attack during a recent state visit to Pakistan.
“Nine Turkish martyrs on the ship received 21 bullets from Israeli soldiers in their bodies, we provided post mortem reports and even the pictures to the EU and U.S. but Washington is not ready to condemn the state terrorism of Israel against Turkey which means that the U.S. is supporting an international terrorist who killed our citizens in international waters," Erdogan said.
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Israel, as Gideon Levy said during the Gaza massacre of last year, is "the Middle East Bully." It's a threat for peace and stability in the entire region.
I suppose the Turks conveniently forget about their own bloody past. How many Armenians do they deny killing? Ask an Armenian who lived through that Holocaust!!
Turkey also doesn't follow international law or respect the sovereignty of other countries, Cyprus for instance, and let's not forget Turkey sends armed F16s into Greece's airspace on a daily basis. Then add Turkey's well documented systematic torture of its own population, the way it abuses its Kurds and other minorities and its limited Press freedom. 'Innocent' Turkey condemning Israel for breaking international law? Don't make me laugh, Turkey has been doing the same things and worse for years.
It would be more honest,rather than have that picture of you smiling?Who gives you the right to demand what the USA should or not toward Israel. You have taken your Islamisits path,enjoy your misery,and if it pleases you,why should Israel or the USA care. If you think Israel is Israel would bow dwn to your continuous demands ten I fear you have a loooong time to wait.
the Turks are now suddenly waking up ?!
Jerusalem's? Such serious times do require a sense of humor I suppose. Anyway as for identified threats to Turkey it now appears to be is a list of one. Other countries in the region have surely gone through a similar process for themselves ending up no doubt with the same result.
Turks should join the Iranian nuclear project and make nukes and provide it to the resistance groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah. There is no point in being an alley of AIPAC controlled USA. It is time to take some tough actions and save ME from the brutalities and oppression of Israel. A strong counter Nato alliance can only bring peace to the world. US is simply a morally degraded AIPAC theocracy just as its illicit child Israel.
Israel has long gotten away with things that no other nation could get away with. The reason for this was unlimited American support, even while American leaders were among Israels critics. It was inevitable that this would lead to a crisis. Now the main question is, how long will America continue to cover for Israels aggressive, provocotive, and inhumane actions and policies. In the end, America will be forced to change if that's what it takes.
Israel should have apologized to Turkey after the deadly ship attack. Arrogance by the Israeli government will lead to further escalations.
I don't think this a failure, Turkey is just not threatened by Iran or Syria. It is Israel that doesn't follow the international law. It is Israel that commits piracy acts. It s Israel that does not respect the sovereignty of the other countries. That is why Israel is the Only Treat.
Turkey is now an ally of Syria and Iran... That is why they are no longer a threat... Turkey broke Geneva iV when it invaded Cyprus... (Clearly does not respect international law) Turkey makes daily raids into Iraq (Clearly does not respect international law) That is why Turkey is a major threat to world stability!
Tiny 'ideologically challenged Israel' is reaping what she sowed by first MURDERING Turkish citizens and next for not apologizing or expressing remorse! As a Secular Turk I am fully behind Ankarta's decision!
When you bring a knife to a gun fight you loose!
Israel has to be stopped. Islam's rage is result of forceful shoving Israel in the ME. Very dangerous. You make Israel stronger than all combined , you get a nation that feels above the law. US policy was erroneous from day one. Sixty years on the war is coming to our shores.. Palestinians rights have to be saved so we save the ME, the US and the world.
israel is smaller than my back garden.
Israel doesn't have an interest in occupying more land, if anything its to keep the population safe from Palestinian aggression. Right wing parties are pushing for building more houses in the big settlements but that is hardly occupying more land and while I'm against these settlement expansions they are not really a threat to anyone, just an excuse for the Palestinians to back out of peace talks and Right Wing Israeli parties to provide and reinforce that excuse. If anything destabilizes the region is Turkey's flotilla stunt. The genocide-endorsing new regime they have , apparently they are getting what they wanted all along
cause they all will have a common enemy
Very soon. But first the goverment must check the balance, and reactions from the state such as Iran and Egypt. Because Iran is still expanding their military/proxy powers. Turkey do not like this kind of power imposing acts on other states, for example Iraq. But in the end we may come to an historic agreement hopefully and Shia and Sunni brothers can act together. What happened hundreds of years ago should not poison our brothership that is what most sunnis says today.
Is the cause. Once both Turkey and Iran were close allies with Israel, and Iran and Israel even shared a multi-billion oil pipe project. What has changed? Islamic extremism rose to power in both these nations. I'm not surprised at Turkey's recent actions; relations have began to deteriorate before the flotilla event, and I know exactly what to expect from a PM who protects an international mass murderer, the Sudanese President, by saying "I don't believe what the world says about him. He's a Muslim and Muslims don't do that". We'll see if Turkey will be able to fight for it's secularism or not.
We fight for the Country, Independence and a Better life for our future generations. You Israel have to fight for those because it is the only reason untill now you were getting support from the west, they would drop you like a bomb if you did not try to maek your selves look like them :) We will create our own understanding of "Secularism" not the adopted French one, we will balance our democracy so the people voice would be heard every corner of the state.
And Israel is well armed by the U.S. Neither Syria nor Iran have this bad habit. And Iran is not as well armed as Israel.
But turkey does .
Otherwise as far as Israel being armes by the US? Bull ! israel has the capacity to build their weapons arsenal even without the U.S,'s help.And if they do,it is minimal A DROP IN THE VAST OCEAN. Syria or Iran have umpteenth bad habits you forgot to mention. he mere mention of Iran not beng well armed shows your utter ignorance.I guess the Euros' at al are worrying for naught then ha? By the way which country has Israel attacked? Give us an example FOOL!
nuclear Turkey. It seems turks,won´t surrender.
It is suprising that Turkey ignores the fact that there was a naval blockade and praises the intruders as 'matrys'. This kind of behavior is not suprising since the regime is Islamic fundamentalist under a veil of democracy. Shame on them!
everyone knows that. God bless Ottomans!
Every muslam knows that. AS they know one day they will cause the world to come to an end.