'Turkey no longer needs a close relationship with Israel'

You should do some reading to bring yourself up to par if you wish to continue commenting on the Muslim world. You tell us to forget the idea of an Islamic country rejecting Islam (your #8). Not exactly a resounding intellectually profound thought. No one knows of a Christian country giving up Christianity, or a Buddhist country giving up Buddhism, either, for example. The Turks will never form a close allied relationship with Iran. The Iranians are Shia and the Turks are Sunni. The two, Sunnis and Shias, despise each other. It's a recent animosity, only about 1,300 years old. That's why the entire Arab world (also Sunnis) quake at the thought of Iran with nuclear weapons. Correct, we (the US and Israel) are no longer capable of telling "them" what to do. Presumably them "means" Muslims. We just told Israel to stop settlement building in the West Bank and Jerusalem. How did that work out? As long as Turkey has that big tough army, it will remain secular.

Presuming you are a loyal American, and if you care about the war on terrorism, you should be vitally interested in our relationships with our Muslim allies. The most effective US allies in the war against radical Islamic terrorism are our Arab allies. Countries like Saudi Arabia are in the front line, along with Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait and the Gulf states. They provide the US superb intelligence and military support. Recently, over a 4-day period, the Saudis killed 15 members of Al Qaeda, and they have over 200 in prison. It is also supporting Yemen on its NE border with air strikes against Islamic terrorist elements. (Al Qaeda.) You should know Israel is not involved in this fight. It talks big but considers Hamas and Hezbollah its primary terrorist targets. But they don't attack the US nor other nations involved in the fight, and are considered by everybody, but Israel, to be small potatoes and not worthy of attention. How many Al Qaeda members has Israel killed and imprisoned?

It's time Israel took a good look at its self and really ask if it can afford to lose Turkey. Turkey is expanding it's sphear of influence in the lands it once occupied and Israel is becoming more and more the unwanted bully in the region. Ataturk's legacy will live forever.

Turks always voted for islamic government and the military have to intervene.This time they decided to join forces with Iran and Syria their islamic brothers after coming to a conclusion that US and Israel are no longer capable of telling them what to do.That's what happend when you have a islamic counrty as an allie.

Turkey has improved its relationships with numerous countries, including muslim and non-muslim. Israel is the only one with detoriated relationship. Don't you think Israel is the problem rather than Turkey? On the other hand which countries did Israel inprove their relationships with? The answer is clear, isn't it?

It's always "them" that have changed, and that's why they are now showing distancing themselves from Israel. It never seems to occur to an Israeli to ask wether it must juuuuuust be ISRAEL that has changed i.e. that "they" are showing such distate for you precisely because ISRAEL is doing some pretty distasteful things. Gosh! Perish. The. Thought. Turkey had close ties to Israel. Israel went BANG!!!!! on Gaza. Turkey is now distancing itself. Q: Gosh! What's gotten into them? Are you really that clueless? Or are you simply capable of a limitless rationalization? The latter, apparently.

The problem is religion (Judaism) excludes Zionism. So a "religious" Israel could not have a Jewish political body (at least in this day and age). The politics of Israel would have to be (genuine) secular (or surrendered to another religion). Right now it is a false secular. Real secular would be best, but silly Zionists, thinking without using their brain, are forcing something else.

It appears that Israel cannot take any criticism. They seem not to be able to deal with it, thus attacking and trying to discredit everyone by saying "you are antisemitic!" I am so not going to take a theocratic country's ranting about Turkey turning into a theocracy into consideration! A Jew and non-Jew cannot even get married in Israel, and they allege that Turkey is moving away from democratic values! Why? Because we refuse to be silent about Palestine!

Turkey and the whole 1,000,000,000 muslims are getting more and more radical. Israel has Barak ordering religious soldiers to expel Jews against their conscience. The vindictiveness os Israels secular Jews to religious Jews will lead to it'd eventual demise. Only a true democracy and mutual respect of all Jews and their vwies (ahavas klall yisroel) will enable Israel to overcome the hatred spewed in the Koran to 1 billion Muslims. Am Yisroel Chai!

Totally agree, the rising of religious in israel lead to a major part of violation toward the PA...

It never has anything to do with what Israel is doing or has done, as usual

Yaldin doesn't know what he is talking about. This is a childish tantrum from a spoilt Israel general. They can't bully Turkey because they don't have a political lobby in Turkey like they have in the US. So lets pull the religious card.. Yaldin also forgets about Rabbis like Yitzhak Shapira instructional pamphlets being handed out to his "secular" troops. Also anyone listening to comments from "secularist conservatives" in Turkey really does not understand the source of their "concern" and why they were booted out of power. All one had to do is see how corrupt these "secular" politicians were. People voted in AK party because the money that would have gone in "secular politicians" pockets now makes it out to improve schools, community centres, etc. Turkey isn't turning into Saudi Arabia, that is a truly messed up place

and as soon as that common interest vanishes, Turkey will join the ranks of the rest of the Arab/Muslim world.

horrific dictatorships that keep their people in poverty and shoot them when they speak their mind. I particularly feel sorry for the turkish women who will now be enslaved like all women in the Islamic world. Turkey has made the wrong turn and will one day The Turkish people will need Israel.

If israel was by the religious, there woulb be no Israel.

"Yadlin said, adding that key factors had been an easing of Turkish concerns about Syria and Ankara's failure to clinch membership of the European Union." Very stupid. Turkey may become more religious, but that is due to domestic issues and changes. Changing its view on a Baathist neighbor does not signal that, nor does failure to get into the EU--they will look closer to Russia. Of course, the political elite may be being bribed by Iran, that is a possibility.

Please understand you keep telling you dont need but as nations combine for helping water shortage or keeping nations alive who gave you the right? You keep saying we wont this we wont that how can you behave that way in the sanctity of civilization. Oh yeah I ran into an Aztec not going near them they have weird paint on and are tanned, wow you have a shaw on you must worship a pagan God. Do you hear what you sound like. No we dont worship the same or wipe our hands the same so I condem you to no friendhsip.They are probably thinking wow you have a shaggy beard and upside down dreadlocks why doesnt he shave or wash his right hand. OOhh he smells like cheese.Wow they smell like camels.OOOh you eat that past stuff we eat real bread.Do you hear the difference.Wow you worship God.I worship God oh you worship God just differently. Wow how do you worship. Behind closed doors can you believe the Johnsons kneel when they pray we kneel and bow with our heads covered.Who are we to judge?Rankoo

well if Turkey turns away from secularism and toward more radical Islam, that will blow any chance they have of joining the EU

they call you out on the truth of the matters you make stupid things up like Turkey is going towards radical Islam? What slander! The leaders of Israel have lost their minds. Governments, religious leaders and former leaders are all condemning you from Christians, to Muslims to Jews. Are they all going towards radical islam? I think not. Stop making excuses. Your 2 idiots Ayalon and Lieberman are just one shining example of your idiotic and ridiculous policies and their makers.

repeated daily here by people who can't think for themselves. Where do you thing 1.2 million + Arabs in Israel came from?ethnic cleansing? How is it that the population of Arabs in the West Bank and Gazat is ever increasing? How does that compare to the number of Jews in ALL the Moslem countries combined?

Turkey is gone. How will that change the "balance of power" in the ME? I am sure the Zionist will say, "good riddance," but what if many other nations will follow suit, getting more angry over continued land theft and occupation? "Good riddance" to everybody?

And that reality includes Israel, what do you want more? The fisher and his frew

More people in the ME are turning to religious leaders for hope and a better life, the real issues is why. The secular leaders seem to give in to the highest bidder which means the rich or large companies rule and not the common people. Even in the US the people are starting to see the light, which in part is how Obama got elected but the lobby groups are just to strong to easily stop without major changes. Why do politicians leave office far richer than when they came in or the high paying jobs they get when they leave. The politician's aids also have a lot of control by changing a word or two here and there in bills giving big loopholes to certain companies to get very rich from.

early early in the history, we were not secular, but we were the only one who helped jews, just think about it....

That's how Israel deals with Muslim countries. If they don't pledge their support to Israel, they are either a terrorist state or a radical Islamist one.

Islamist ideology has a big influence on Turkish foreign policy and not only in relation to Israel. In 2003 the Turkish government supported Saddam Hussein against the American invasion. This would not have happened before under secular Turkish governments who took seriously the commitments they assumed under their membership of NATO. On the other hand, Islamist ideology is not the only factor in Turkish foreign policy. Turkey is still buying Israeli drones! That is probably why the Turkish Defence Minister said that his country "is forced" to be a "strategic ally" of Israel. This statement was made only a few days after the Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister used a low sofa to protest against Turkish Islamist incitement against Israel and Turkish Jews. Even those who hate Jewish people still need Jewish products!

world of moving away from Israel and we don't need millitary intelligence to figure out why.

Turkey is truly making an excellent choice by (quite brazenly) moving toward becoming an Islamic state. It will ensure it truly NEVER joins the E.U., dissuade any potential investors and drive out the existing ones, and cement its place in the elite club of developed and enligthened nations such as, well, Syria and Iran. A capital idea, all in all. a1matrimonials@hotmail.com

A country that is built on discrimination and religion and that is proud of being "religion based" state, is now citisizing a secular state for leaning religeous. Am I missing something here?

its only a matter of time when Turkey military takes over! no chance of Turkey entering EU!

Israel is known for arming its enemies.

It can't just be that Israel has become an arrogant and immature acting nation. Everyone else in the world is to blame. Keep on repeating it long enough and every Israeli will believe it. By then every ally Israel has ever had will be so fed up with it's behavior that the self-fulfilling prophecy will come true.

set up the Hasbara Committee - because the majority of the world views Israel as a rogue state?

Turks never voted for secular government and they always came to power by the millitary coup.Forget the idea that an islamic country will reject islam,this is a fantasy dreamed by naive and stupid politicians and people who never new how muslims think.Did they read the koran and what is written there about the non muslims?

I thought we were over with this quarrel and now the Israeli start over again? When are they going to shut up? I have the impression that Israel wants to cut ties with Turkey. pffft, it doesn't bother me. I am not going to run after you, if you don't love me.

If a Christian party in Europe gets elected, does that mean that it is radical Christians in power? If the Republican party in the U.S.A. is in power, does that also mean that America is radicalized? Amos Yadlin talks rubbish. It's not about religion. if Shas party in Israel is in coalition, does that mean that Israel has lost it's secularism? If Erdogan has critizism, that means he puts a mirror in the face of Israel which Israel is afraid to watch it. A little more self criticism is a good thing for the Israeli government.

a secular socienty to ethnic cleasing and dispossession of Palestinians because of religion.

from all Islamic states. The self appointing and self serving secular politicians should make way for their religious in the Holyland as is the case in the whole region.

Israel is like the small but strong bully in the neighborhood that nobody likes. Want to know why Israel has no friends other than America, it's because you drive drunk constantly and never listen to anyone. And then suddenly we're not friends and you say "What's wrong with you!?!" No Israel, theres something WRONG with you We're obviously 'radical' because we're not friends with Israel because they have a 'Democracy' masquerading as a ethnically racist apartheid regime. Yes radical.. hrmmm keep thinking that.

Hey, there was a time when the US and Canada were friends of Israel. But then, there were times when they weren't. Remember the SS St. Louis. And the US can count the USS Liberty incident as unanticipated payback for that.