Gaza aid flotilla could hit Turkey tourism

thank you for the 12 points israel ,we love you

Do you seriously believe Turkish tourism is dependent on Israel at a time when there are scores of places in Turkey where Israelis and their money are not welcome? Don't kid yourselves... If Israelis insist on coming to Turkey despite this, it is their own decision.... F. Kerim

It is really worth wondering how some people are 'proud' of Turkey's stance in the region, since they conveniently forget the genocides it has committed (Armenians & Pontiacs), the illegal occupation of Northern Cyprus (since 1974) and the harassment towards the Kurds (since God knows when), to name the most outstanding 'achievements' of this 'democratic' country.

Israel wreaking "Economic Terrorism" on Turkey. That was the term Lieberman used--right.

Their tourist offering is excellent, great value, and the rest of Europe has woken up to it. If Israelis choose not to go, there's only one loser in that equation.

Boycott all you want. There's what? 5 million Israelis? There's 1.5 billion Muslims who love Turkey, it's people, culture, history and everything is stands for. The less Israeli tourists go to Turkey the more Muslim ones do, then Israelis have to pay higher ticket fees to travel further away from the Middle East. You do the math, who's losing and who's gaining?

I think Turkey realizes there is no form of compensation/profit/money that can equate to the blockade of a group of humans in the year 2010. This is the only human rights violation in the world that is acceptable to most western countries in the year 2010. This is the only human rights violation that will never be branded as a form of terror because terror is the term used for those that are under the blockade (women, children, elders) I think Turkey has distinguished the difference between money to be made and to help those in need. They seemed to have chosen the other path as many others are doing now and this movement is growing. Even some countries that were solid supporters are now backtracking because they want to abstain from hypocrisy. Money doesn't matter when there is a mass prison for people in the year 2010 by a government and not a small group of people.

A few thousand Israelis going elsewhere is hardly going to bring the Turkish economy to its knees. Especially since Arab tourism to Turkey has doubled in the last few years, and whether you like it or not Arabs outnumber Israelis 25-1.

It will hardly have noticable effect beside underlining the impotence of Israel and generating more negative headlines in Turkey. Turkish tourism industry attracts somewhere around 30 million visitors yearly. Any Israeli vacationing elsewhere will promptly be replaced by a Swede, Norwegian or German as the Ship to Gaza is viewed as a heroic enterprise in these countries and is generating massive amounts of goodwill for Turkey.

It may hurt Israeli visits, but the number of Arab visitors is greater and increasing greatly at the same time. Turkey as a tourist destination is constantly on the up and up. Israelis will either ignore the boycott or simply pay more at other destinations.

And no complaining when you get bocotted? Is this the new rule? Could we have this in writing, for future reference?

Turkey ad the rest of the humane world demands Isreal end its brutal siege of gaza...If they dont, Israel can expect TS tourism industry to vanish,.

spat in the well it drank from, Israel helped Turkey during the earthqake they had and Israeli Tourists spent alot money, I am for one, think they have no loyalty and I am planning to boycott Turkey, if they think they can rebuilt a second Ottoman empire they should think again those days are gone forever and Turkey is a very weak country both financialy and army wise

I believe we israelis should not boycott anybody. Lets leave it to less enlightened nations. Besides, given our size, it is just plain stupid.

turkey taking bold approach

You boycott Turkey for trying to house and feed people yet you curse Palestinians for boycotting settlement products produced on stolen land.

Damascus is the centre of the Arab boycott bureau of Israel. Since Arab regimes embraced open startegic cooperation with the Wes to secure their own survival, this bureau is now merely a symbol. In the long struggle to restore Palestine to Palestinians, Arab and Muslims would come back to this again. If they take an oath to ban anyone individual, official, government or organization from any deal and deny them entry and other punitive measures, the world would abandon Israel. China, has done it partially with great success vis a vis Taiwan. What made Israel so belligerent and blind to realities are Arab regimes and collaborators. What will regain us durable peace and equity for all is being resourceful, honest , and true freedom fighters. When Israel sees on the ground this trend to tenacity, it and their strong western backers would all think many times. Turkey has always been a proud and rightful nation. They embodied and held Muslim destiney for centuries. Israel's targeting of Turkey is a little annoyance for them. Their legacy past and present is way too heavy to waver.

Why is it that Israel is hell-bent upon self-destruction? I am an old guy. I have watched world approval of Israel decline ever since the Six Day War and plummet during the last two decades. Those of us inclined to view Israel favorably are dying off and are being replaced by those who have grown up with an Israel which has been brazen in it's inhumanity and ruthless in it's occupation. Eventually those of us inclined to favor Israel will vanish into the ages and those who have been tutored by the Revisionist Zionist Israel of today will predominate. Israel is a nation which has become it's own worst enemy. As a nuclear weapons power, there is NO nation which has threatened Israel's existence for almost 40 years. Yet Israel has sought to extend it's occupied areas into Lebanon - a failed endeavor - and to rid itself of the Arabs in it's occupied territories - another failed endeavor. By blockading Gaza Israel - acting within it's rights as the legal occupying power - has only proven it's inhumanity and ruthlessness. By preventing the landing of humanitarian aid Israel will only PROVE further it's absolute ruthlessness. Do Israelis ACTUALLY want to be seen as ruthless monsters starving children and blocking desperately needed medical supplies? It seems so. It also seems to me to be insane. Israel has become it's own worst enemy. And there is nothing that can save a nation which has become totally self-destructive. Only that nation can save itself. Nazi Germany didn't stop Hitler. Japan didn't stop Tojo. Italy didn't stop Mussolini. Only a nation with a shred of decency can save itself from that sort of nationalistic and racist depravity. I hope a shred of decency still exists in Israel.

if we help the flotilla can the isreali bankers not come to the us?

PITY THE ORDINARY TURKISH PEOPLE. The nation should send a message to the Islamist ruling party, by voting anty-islamists.

No need for high animosity between Turkey and Israel. Turks have no undue animosity toward Israel, even if Turkey's leaders occasionally speak their mind. And yes the Palestinians are hurting but they need to accept that Israel won their right to exist and give the intifada a peaceful end.

The Israeli government has declared boycotts to be terrorism. Oh, I forgot. Only if directed against Israel illegal settlements.

We already do not want tourists from Israel.

That'll really bring the Turkish economy to its knees! Talk about arrogance. I bet the Turks are really quaking in their shoes. It's not like Israelis are the only people in the world although they like to think they are.

Sounds like a boost for Turkey! Good on you! There are many in the world proud of Turkeys stand ! Good luck to the flotilla, and good luck to Palestine! Israelis hang your heads in shame!

To my Israeli brothers and sisters: forget visiting Turkey, come visit us in the good ole U.S. of A. I live in Philadelphia, you'll love it here, there's so much history and culture in this fair city, museums, theater, sports (GO FLYERS) and so much more. And we of course have a very vibrant and welcoming Jewish community here who are with you 100%.

we should boycott any body who critizes the israel

I thought Israel was against boycotts. Pot calls kettles black eh I guess the internation trade unions have it perfectly right when they call to boycott Israel

please can you dot it now!

Considering the historic land, I imagine Israel gets a lot of tourists for its interior land and Jerusalem. I heard it has nice beaches. Does it attract foreign tourists?

Yes, if ALL 3m Isrealis all went to turky every year, Still does not cover 25% of Turkey's tourism... Maybe the loss is the otherway around when turkish people stop coming to the occpied land... until it is freed.

I have travelled extensively throughout the world (5 years - 70 countries), and the one view that most hostel owners had in common were that Israelis were the rudest, most demanding, and hardest to get along with out of all nationalities. This was the case in 65 of the 70 countries I had travelled through. Also, due to the small amount of Israeli tourists, and there inability to get along with all other nationalities, I doubt Turkey will consider this as a problem. Actually I think they will welcome the fact of not having any Israeli tourists. It is a win-win situation for the Turks. (1) They promote justice and peace against the Apartheid Israel State, and (2) They don't have to deal with Israelis in their country. Perfect.

Just asking.

600 israeli bankers wont be going to Turkey? im sure this will put a dent in Turkey's tourism industry and im sure that I can fly

Turkey should be abandoned by Israelis. Every year it becomes more anti-Israel and helping this Flotilla should wake up all Israelis.

I agree and support the boycott as it will keep turkey clean and pure from corrupted tourism

are you guys still at the same page? please, do not come to our country. We dont need your cheap tourists in here. Go somewhere else, like greek cyprus

Thats nice...jewish trade unionists, usually on the left, have decided to boycott Turkey for its principalled humanitarian support of the beleagured gazans...So it IS ok to boycott Israel, whose actions are anything but humanitarian