Rough Turkey trip ends sans medal
Israel's 3-0 loss to host country Turkey in the bronze medal game of the Euroleague women's volleyball final four yesterday in Ankara served as a footnote to the main event that took place outside the 7,000-seat sports hall.
By Haaretz Sports Staff and AP
Israel's 3-0 loss to host country Turkey in the bronze medal game of the Euroleague women's volleyball final four yesterday in Ankara served as a footnote to the main event that took place outside the 7,000-seat sports hall.
Over 2,000 Turkish riot police were deployed to protect the Israeli team, snipers were positioned on the rooftop of the sports hall and the Israeli team was transported to the arena in a special, police-issued mini-bus. Traffic in Ankara stood at a standstill as security personnel cordoned off numerous streets while the Israelis made their way to the facility.
Turkish police took no chances, even ordering the team to drive a different route than the one they had taken Saturday. Before Israel's Final Four loss to Serbia over the weekend, dozens of pro-Palestinian rioters clashed with Turkish police to protest Israel's deadly raid on a Gaza-bound flotilla on May 31.
Nine Turkish citizens were killed in clashes with Israeli soldiers aboard the Mavi Marmara.
As for the match itself, the first set was a tightly played affair. With Turkey holding on to an 8-7 advantage, they exploded for five unanswered points. Israel's Yuliya Volivach notched three points to bring her team back to within striking distance.
At this point Turkey led 15-13. Israel never got closer than 15-16, and Turkey finished off the first set 25-19.
The second set was a tight battle, although a number of mistakes by Israel, particularly in its defense around the net, proved costly. Turkey won that set 25-23, and the third set was the worst display by Israel since the start of the tournament.
The Turks took an early lead and never looked back, winning the set 25-15 and ensuring a third-place finish.
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I'm saying these as a Turk. I wish that USA would invade Turkey in WW2 and remove all fascism from this country like they did in Germany and Japan. We missed that opportunity. EU membership process will also have the same effect but it will be long and painful.
@David Israel Thankyou for your support kardesim :-) I don't want to lose hope concerning Turkey and I do have a very strong feeling that AKP will fail in the next elections! Kemal Kilicdaroglu seems like a really decent man who will take Turkey forward! AKP is just using religion as a gimmick and has done so much damage to Turkey and the Turkish Public! This flotilla incident was another shabby AKP stunt to stay in power, gain a few votes from the public, and a way of covering up their ill-behaviours as a party!
Many Turkish youth do not realize that the EU had signed the Turkish accession document to EU when Bulent Ecevit was PM, Ismail Cem Ipekci was FM and Kemal Dervis was responsible for the economy. AKP made their usual takkiye convincing many (even old leftists, my college buddies from 1970ies) that they are going to take Turkey to the EU. Instead they played with these old converted lefties to further their Islamist agenda and today it is sad to see Turkey in a path opposite to what Ataturk wanted. As I said it before modern Turkish women like the late Turkan Saylan can make a real difference. After all we, men usually follow our women. When I hear Turkish women like you raising their voices I am encouraged for the future of Turkey, my native land. BTW: There is a small movement in NY led by a few Turkish ex pats explaining why support for CHP is the best for Turkey. Among them some are Turkish Jews like me.
I find it rather silly that some AKP supporters do this kind of thing because I don't think ordinary people should be held accountable for the actions of their politicians. The same goes for the fantatics in Israel! expressing your anger at ordinary turkish people has no logic to it! What the AKP clan fail to understand is that Erdogan as a PM could have prevented this from occuring! But then again this same guy is slaughtering our servicemen by not taking the necessary actions against the PKK terrorists! CHP for Turkey! Uyan Ataturkum uyan!! we are lost without you!!
Unfortunately there are some uneducated people who can not even respect a sports match without mixing politics in it. lately Israelis only see the likes of the IHH members s the representative of Turks this is why the anger but you can change this on September 12 by your vote. don't forget that to make the change Muhtac oldugun kudret damarlarindaki asil kanda mevcuttur. I believe that strong independent modern women like will be the main thrust to initiate the very much necessary changes in Turkey.
Security teams,snipers...Let's to be clear,the gold medal in this case is coming out sound and save.
Would such measures be necessary for Turkey in say Tel-Aviv? I doubt it. But lets no talk about that.
Because none of the Israeli citizens killed in the international waters by Turkey.
Even a foot ball (Soccewr) match between Fenerbahce Galatasaray Besiktas can not be played in peace in Istanbul. The spectators burn the seats with anger. There is no match without several fist fights. In fact in 1979 I was caught in the middle of a group shooting fire arms at the end of a match at the Besiktas stadium near Dolmabahce. Oh BTW: after Israeli ambassador Efraim Elrom was killed in Turkey there was no such reaction in Israel against Turks. It is a matter of cultural difference.
israel has painted itself into a corner with its arrogance and hubris. reap as you sow... get prepared for worse