Assuming the term 'ally' applies only to equals. Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and some gulf countries are not Israel's allies but its lackeys.
"President Peres, you are older than me and your voice is very loud. The reason for you raising your voice is the psychology of guilt … I know very well how you hit and killed children on the beaches."
Erdogan's outburst was his most high-profile in a series of outspoken attacks on Israel's Gaza operations. He had previously called the offensive – in which around 1,300 Palestinians died – a "crime against humanity" and demanded Israel's expulsion from the UN.
Since March 29th 2006
9 comments:
I wouldn't push the "losing an ally angle" too hard, afterall:
Incidentally, also on Friday, the Israeli newspaper Haaretz cited Turkish sources and reports in the Turkish media as saying that Turkey was “expected to receive its first shipment of attack drones from Israel next month, despite the comments by its prime minister during the Gaza offensive that Israel was a terrorist state. Turkey is also expected to receive another shipment of Heron drones from Israel….Erdogan is expected to buy drones known as the Harpy. This armed UAV, developed by Elbit and Israel Aerospace Industries, participated in the Gaza offensive and killed Hamas militants,” the report read.
... but it was a nice home crowd PR move for the PM ...
They lost this war even WORSE than the war on Lebanon!!
Cracks in the facade of the pro-Israeli camp, yes, but they have not yet exactly "lost" Turkey, which still leans way over to the Israeli side. I agree that it bears close watching.
Sophia, here are some pictures by Iranian news agency:
http://www.farsnews.com/imgrep.php?nn=8711110883
Arabic coffee pot,
Turkey has a history commercial and military ties with Israel, and it cannot break from this in one shot. Haaretz seems to suggest hat drones made in Israel and used in Gaza will be bought by Turkey make Erdogan's statements hypocritical or at least staged as some have suggested.
Let me tell you something, Israel is trying to reassure itself, good luck !
Naj,
I suggest that Iran, Turkey, and Syria should make an alliance against all those arab regimes who have no spine to stand up against Israel.
William,
I agree with you. However, I think that Erdogan's reaction was genuine and stemmed from the fact that he felt humiliated given only one minute while Israel's assassins are given 25 minutes at Davos. His wife was in tears when speaking to reporters. Peres must have looked at Erdogan with some arrogance.
I visited Turkey in 2006 and again in 2007. The amount of support for palestine there comes, not only from solidarity with Arabs and muslims, whish is something new in Turkey, but it comes also from the fact that after the Iraq war Turkey felt that it was neglected as a regional power player by the US. What adds to the insult is the fact that the post 9-11 western world looks at Muslims and Muslim politicians in general with some contempt. And Erdogan must have been treated with contempt. Don't underestimate the power of emotions and bullying in high profile political games. Israel excels at them and it used them abundantly to make the 200 peace accord brokered by Clinton fail.
I think you have to view all this in the light of reports like this...
This comment was also very illuminating.
Fear is becoming convincing currency everywhere I look these days, from bailouts to war. It can even close ears.
Erdogan's certainly far from perfect. But aren't we all. Especially politicians. That being said though, I can find no fault in the man for doing and saying what and how he did.
The man stood up in public and said what needed to be said, and to those who most needed to hear it.
In short, Erdogan spoke the truth, and for that simple reason I not only can/will not fault him. In this instance I actually salute him.
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