Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert today urged the current government to renew efforts to restore normal diplomatic ties with the Turkish government, insisting it was a vital national interest and that Israel needed to come to terms with the fact that Turkey is not an enemy.
Tensions between the two nations have been on the rise since last May, when Israeli soldiers killed nine aid workers aboard a Turkish aid ship. They came to a head last week, when Turkey expelled Israel’s ambassador.
But while current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu today insisted that he too hoped to restore ties with Turkey, he would never apologize for the killings, insisting they were “defending out children” from weapons smuggling. The ship they attacked contained a large number of wheelchairs and medicine, but no weapons.
It is this basic difference in worldview, the firm Israeli belief that a shipload of wheelchairs amounted to an existential threat, that has kept Israeli-Turkish relations sour. After over a year of insisting the aid workers were “terrorists,” the Israeli government will have a difficult time offering such an apology, no matter how in their interests it is to do so.
Turkey stands up to Israeli for the murder of its citizens in international waters, while the US cowers into a corner when Israel murders our sailors in international waters (USS Liberty) or worse yet when it runs over a young American woman with a bulldozer.
I believe the peoples of the world are with Turkey and justice, certainly this American is.
There will be no change in Israelo behaviour as they think that they are super power and america is their colony.
There is no doubt all illegal action from Israelis will be protected by america but how long? May be america is totaslly destroyed through lies and killings of innocent people.
Turkey stands up to Israeli for the murder of its citizens in international waters, while the US cowers into a corner when Israel murders our sailors in international waters (USS Liberty) or worse yet when it runs over a young American woman with a bulldozer.
israel apologize?! yeah right…their entire existence is nothing but one crime after another but now they'll say they're sorry. right. you know why set the precedent after 60+ years of lies, illegal war and occupation?? they should apologize for a lot of things.
i'm not convinced that the turks are really that upset and i think a lot of their grandstanding is for the turkish people. if you look closely at one is going on in syria, turkish forces are collaborating (albeit behind the scenes and clandestinely) with mossad and cia assets on the ground to destabilize the regime there. as a nato member and a country shifting towards europe as opposed to the middle east they are helping to close the gauntlet on syria and iran. these two countries are on the neocon chopping block and it's going to be worth keeping an eye on the turks once everything hits the fan…and it will.
“It is this basic difference in worldview…
that has kept Israeli-Turkish relations sour.”
Facts tell us different, for facts give us strong indication that Turkey and Israel have an incestuous love relationship and a common goal to destroy the democratic government of Iran.
(1) Turkey just committed an act of war against Syria, in essence demanding a regime change of face a NATO invasion spearheaded by Turkey.
(2) Turkey has as a keen desire to replace Iran as the spiritual and economical leader nation in the Middle-East and north Africa.
(3) Turkey is pro-Israel USA, Iran is suffering sanctions and in many ways being persecuted by its two greatest enemies — Israel USA
(5) Waiting for an apology from Israel is a smokescreen, something that blinds the mind by burning the emotions, to hide that fact that Turkey intends to do nothing.
(6) Turkey has a major problem with activists and dissidents, those who differ openly against the rich and powerful. Why, for all we know Turkey handpicked the nine activists that Israeli commandos wasted on the Freedom Flotilla.
where do you get this crap from. your home in the loo?
Israel is on the path to it's own demise with that attitude. How long to they expect people to swallow such ridiculous lies in order to justify the religious extremists dogma that excuses all matter of crimes in the name of the "Jewish people". Israel is on the road to its destruction.
The real question is how not to let this nihilist entity bring the world down along with it. Is that the reason for the coddling of Israel by Western states? Do they seriously fear the Samson option that perhaps it's leaders have been threatening behing closed doors?
And if they do – why?
Turkey should invade Israel and raze it off the map and put the rest of the world off its misery already.
the sooner the zionists "Get the hell out of Palestine" the better.
This is a bit off topic but I remember in the over-the-top movie 2012 that near the end of the film we see the world after the flood and if you pay any attention at all you'll see the Middle East has essentially vanished under the sea. I thought to myself "Damn!… Guess that finally puts an end to all that". Will it take another flood for people to wake up?
I so happy Turkey is standind up to the criminals in Israel.If Isreal attacts Turkey the UN has to side with Turkey its illegal for a member to attack another or they are the enemy.Wonder how America will respond will they finaly stand against Isreal or will they break from the UN making almost the hole world there enemys.Thats to say some don't follow America and illegaly back the attacker.
netenyahoo clearly is delusional. That probably explain israel's absurd policies and ridiculous actions. More countries need to follow Turkey's example and break relationships with israel. Isolate the lunatic.
I read somewhere that Turkey 'threatened' Israel to refer the matter to the International Court of Justice IF Israel does not apologize. Turkey should not make threats, it should take action in the name of Justice. If Turkey thinks it has a case (and I and most of the world firmly believe she has) than in the name of Justice Turkey should take Israel to ICJ. An apology should never be a substitute for demanding justice following an unlawful, criminal action.
"It is this basic difference in worldview, the firm Israeli belief that a shipload of wheelchairs amounted to an existential threat . . ."
This is rather like saying that an insane man has a "worldview." That the Israelis insist with straight faces that wheelchairs and medicine are existential threats to their country is so irrational that it can only be regarded as insanity. The world needs to put a straightjacket on that madman.