Israel to Turkey FM: If you want to visit Gaza, don't come here
Ahmet Davutoglu had planned to visit the coastal territory during a state visit to Israel in October.
By Barak Ravid Tags: Egypt Turkey Israel news GazaTurkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu's planned visit to Israel has been left in doubt after Jerusalem warned that he would not be allowed to enter the Gaza Strip from Israeli territory.
Davutoglu had been invited to take part in the Presidents' Conference, which is scheduled to take place in a few weeks in Jerusalem.
However, the recent warning and the tense relations between Israel and Turkey since Operation Cast Lead make it now unclear whether Davutoglu will make the trip.
Israeli officials' principal fear in regard to the visit is that if Davutoglu goes to Gaza, it will become a festive event for Hamas and it will become a media circus with the Turkish FM staying amidst the rubble of buildings destroyed by the IDF during Cast Lead. Officials suspect Davutoglu would also be encouraged to make anti-Israel statements.
Israel-Turkey relations have been tense since Cast Lead, especially in light of a televised fracasbetween President Shimon Peres and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the Davos Conference this past January.
Turkey adopted a critical stance on Israel and Erdogan maintained that Israel was carrying out genocide in the Gaza Strip. Since then, the two states have maintained diplomatic and military contacts but have not had any meetings between high-level officials.
Davutoglu was appointed foreign minister only recently, and has sought a role in future peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians.
A senior Israeli official said that over a month ago the head of the Turkish Foreign Ministry contacted his Israeli counterpart Yossi Gal, and offered to arrange a visit by the Turkish foreign minister to Israel.
The Turkish official asked Gal about the possibility of a visit to Gaza and Gal told him that he would be welcomed warmly in Israel but that a visit to the Gaza Strip would "not be helpful".
A few weeks later, Turkish offices again tried to bring up the issue of a visit to Gaza and Turkey's Ambassador to Israel Namik Tan met with Gal and told him that Davutoglu received an invite to the Presidents' Conference in October and was weighing whether to attend. The Turkish ambassador asked if a trip to Gaza during that time would be possible.
The decision was later made in the Foreign Ministry that if the Turkish foreign minister's trip to Israel were to include a visit to the Gaza Strip, the request would have to be refused.
A top Israel official said "Turkish leadership during Operation Cast Lead did not encourage us to agree to this request."
Gal told the Turkish ambassador that "there are other places in the world from where it's possible to enter the Gaza Strip."
In the statement, Gal was implying that Egypt would be a possible point of entry to the Strip, but Israeli sources have said the Egyptian would not be inclined to allow the Turkish foreign minister to enter Gaza from their territory.
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Piece of land Turks gave to Israelis now Israelis not allowing them to enter. That is why I enjoy reading History!!
Turks and no invasions !!?? konstantinopolis... ringing some bells maybe ? that was not an invasion but a conquest huh ? turkish way of thinking...
Turkey, unlike israel did not invade someone else's soils and took it away. there is a different between invading to take over and defending itself. Let's not forget the history. Simply if you dont know about the past just sit and be quite. you might look more intelligent.
MR C Don't change everything upside down. Who doesn't want to sitdown and talk HAMAS or Israel. It's very clear that HAMAS doesn't want to talk. Why we've relation with HAMAS Egypt Jordan and Fatah. They all have accepted each other. Could you answer this question. How can you negotiate and talk the while other side does not accept you? Aby
Gaza and the West Bank are under siege and occupation. Both have tried to achieve freedom for the Palestinian people in a different ways, Hamas thru violent resistance and Fayad by means of peaceful negotiation. The peacefull negotiation by Fayad resulted in more Jewish settlemnts, more house demoletions, more forced evacuation of Palestinians from their homes and more land confescation. The right wing Israeli government has no interest in peaceful negotiation and it is time for the rest of the western world to tell Israel that if you do not geniouenly work for peace you do not deserve our tax dollars and our protection.
...to tell it like it is...realism..
My advice to the turks.Don't bite the hand that feeds you.
Maybe you should put your money where your mouth is and invite some of the Gaza leadership into Holland.Learn something from the differences between the West Bank and Gaza.Compare Haniya to Salam Fayyad,especially the recent and smart initatives made recently by the latter.
Why Israel is supporting a country like Turkey which openly support its enemies.
Radical Turkish Islamists have been organizing nightly programs in cities across Turkey under the slogan, ?A free Al-Quds [the Muslim term for Jerusalem], A world without Israel.? The halls are decked out with photos of Hizbullah Chief Hassan Nasrallah and former Hamas Chief Ahmed Yassin. PLO flags are draped over the speaker?s podium. At the events, Hamas and Hizbullah are glorified as Israel and Western countries demonized, and jihadist speeches are delivered. Participants are offered the chance to donate to the groups or even to enroll in training to join them in their terrorist operations. Similar events are frequently held in the mainly Kurdish southeast and east of the country, with huge audiences turning out as efforts are increased to indoctrinate those populations. More about Turkey at : http://xrl.us/bediaa
Who needs some Turkish politician to come to Israel and Gaza to stir up trouble? The Israeli position ought to be that the Turkish FM can visit Gaza from Israel when Israel's FM can visit "Kurdistan" from Turkish territory. After all, it's only fair, right?
The one certainty about the Netanyahu government is it's consistency. There is no nation in the world which it will not tell it should screw off. The government of Israel is loud in it's statements of contempt for the rest of the world. Any nation which does not comply and applaud it's every action is to be despised and rejected.
The only thing that is "sick" is the way that Hamas manipulates the people of Gaza for their own political ends. The penury and hopelessness that pervades Gaza is the result of Hamas and its cynical and extreme policies.
do you not want the turks to see what hell you have made? something to hide maybe?, and as for egypt, the traitors , they will stick with you through thick and thin, until your both overun, then watch them change sides.
... "genocide" is a pretty big word to dish out. Certainly not appropriate for some collateral damage to stop daily missile attacks. If genocide were Israel's goal, Gaza would be gone. Erdogan could have immediately corrected himself, or apologized for his remark later. Diplomacy is no job for amateurs.
Im sure the kurds and the armenians are proud of turkey's passionate concern of human rights(sarcasm)
Finally someone in the foreign ministry who do not take nonsense and knows how to restore Israeli honour. Bravo, Liebermann. I did not know Israelis have spines!
One day Israel will have to open the borders of the biggest prison on earth and then we can see what they have done to the Palestinian people. Everybody is taking this from Israel, even our Dutch government are letting this happen. And Israel takes 1000 thensof prisoners so the can swap with one Israeli. This is realy sick. Open this prison and let everybody in. Israel is occupying GAZA, and nobody dares to stop them.!!!! SICK
You're slipping, bigot. Don't you know there's Israel-bashing work to be done? Committed haters like you shouldn't sleep. Take a lesson from B.S.News. You must stay up 24 hours a day, lest the opportunity to show us all your sick brand of 'neutrality' passes without comment. That would, indeed, be tragic, wouldn't it......??????:):):):):)
Many observers were expecting some type of mitlitary action by Israel before Bush left office; but I didn't see Gaza. What a terrible conflict. The closeness in trade and business betweeen Turkey and Israel has been mutually benefitual and now, that seems to be lost. All because an outside friendly country wants to see what happened in Gaza last janurary. What did happen in Gaza? Something being hidden? Israel is turning its back on more and more countries. This is not good.
First Sweden, then Spain, now Turkey.
I realy stand with Israel here because the turks have acted real bad in recent times, they have a big problem with their kurdish population, with murder, and assimiliation, forbidden of their language any many many more, they are denied rights, and they accuse israel. come on, please!!
Diplomacy involves talking to both friends and allies. If they will not be welcome in your country to talk to you, what progress can be made? For decades Turkey was a staunch ally for Israel, and Sweden has a worldwide reputation for neutrality. How has Israel managed to make then both into 'persona non grata' at the very moment Israel needs support of sanctions against Iran?
IF Israel want to visit Curdish people when go to Turkey in Irak????
Turkey annexed Syria`s Hatay (Alexandretta) province in 1939, and this hasn`t affected Syria`s recent rapprochement with Turkey. Furthermore, Hatay is far less vital for Turkey`s security, while Syrian control of the Golan, Mt Hermon outsposts, and of the Galilee shoreline - despite all paper treaties - eliminates a major deterrent against Syria and could pose a mortal threat to Israel's North in the event of any renewed Syrian attack. In the Egypt-Israel deal, unlike the Golan, the Sinai buffer provides sufficient strategic depth for Israel`s defense.
Why on earth does Israel go out of its way offend other nations? If the Foreign Minister of Turkey wishes to visit Gaza, why not let him? Why be petty and deny his request?
Ooooops !! No Access to Turkish PM, like the press, like the aid , like to outside world!!! What is Israel so afraid of , the damage they ve caused ? One way or another Israel will have to sit down with all parties at the at to make peace (even with hostile Hamas, I am afraid). They will have to soften and accept Israel as well as Israel accepts their existence !!! Hopefully Turkey will be able bare some fruits this time around with their work helping with Peace in the region !!!