Matthew Bell

Matthew Bell

Matthew Bell is a Jerusalem-based Middle East reporter. He has been with The World since 2001 and has filed stories from cities across the US and abroad.

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Turkey – Israel Relations Imploding

September 5, 2011 ⋅ Post a comment
Demonstration in support of the 'Free Gaza' flotilla 2010 (photo: edo.medicks.net)

Demonstration in support of the 'Free Gaza' flotilla 2010 (photo: edo.medicks.net)

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Relations between two of America’s most important Middle East allies are imploding. Turkey says it is expelling Israel’s ambassador and threatening to cut off military and economic ties with the Israelis. The move follows a United Nations report on the 2010 Gaza flotilla incident, in which Israeli commandos killed nine Turkish activists trying to break Israel’s blockade of the Palestinian territory. The World’s Matthew Bell has the latest.

Discussion

6 comments for “Turkey – Israel Relations Imploding”

  • Anonymous

    Missing from your report is that a key factor in the UN report is a clear statement that Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza is entirely legitimate by international law.  The report asks countries to discourage illegal and inherently dangerous attempts to break the blockade.

    Turkey’s ire and Israel’s refusal to ‘apologize’ center on the report citing Turkey’s encouragement/sponsorship of an illegal flotilla.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_K2WWMHGPDELC345C5TIJ3ZTMYI Sara Marchetti

    a very interesting
    article.

  • Anonymous

    What the report also omits is that the Israeli military repeatedly contacted the flotilla and warned that they could not carry on towards the blockade without risking military intervention, and that there is *video evidence* showing the flotilla activists attacking Israeli soldiers with various sharp and blunt objects before any shots were fired. The Israelis didn’t board the flotilla with the intent to harm or kill anyone. They wanted to send a message that they would not accept any further advance, but the activists turned it into a violent scene.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_PLWMRVHCZ67V3IZNF5OTCIO4YM Dingilizwe Masuku

    This is a blantant act by Turkey to try and convince or/con the arab world that  Israel means nothing to them economically or millitaryl. If you closely however one would realise that its Turkey who needs Israel most both millitary and economically. Israel exports up to $4.1billion worth of goods to Turkey and imports about $1.5billion from Turkey now if my calculations are right who gets hurt real bad economically here. Okay lets move on to the millitary side Turkey has been buying millitary hardware from let me add the word sophisticated millitary hardware from the Israelis, just for starters, Drones, tank, fighter plane parts and a host of other frightening stuff. Hate or love them the Israelis are just top class mentally. This posturing by Turkey reminds me of Egypt before it tried to destroy Israel. Mark my words Turkey would fall if it tries to fight Israel. Since 1948 all the countries that tried this have failed dismally, suprisingly Turkey stayed out of it until now. Watch your step Turkey watch your step. Rember Israel has an arsenal of nuclear weapons they need use two on Turkey and the Turks would fold up, the Israelis have over 200 in their backyard.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_Y6L6FTDBJYFKOHEZCN6BO6ZEGQ dorn

    There is not a hint in this article, nor in the earlier articles that Turkey’s
    Islamist AKP government has been abusing the Arab-Israeli conflict to
    build up its regional ties with some Arab countries. Turkey has staged a
    number of deliberate public embarrassments of Israel long before the
    flotilla (including the walkout at Davos).
    Turkey’s government provided the Maramar to the IHH.

    Yet The World gives Turkey a free ride on this – as it does on
    Turkish raids into Iraq that killed over 150 Kurds in the last few weeks
    alone.

  • James Jameson

    Turkey is upset about Cyprus agreement with Israel and Egypt concerning the oil & gas reserves on their common sea space.
    Turkey does not want the agreement for common exploitation of those reserves by Cyprus-Egypt-Israel to be fulfilled. It did openly threat Cyprus that if they keep on with their plan to proceed to drills in Cyprus sea territory Turkey can use it’s navy fleet to stop it. Now it threats Israel using as an excuse the insident at the ship under Turkish flag.
    Turkey would have threaten Egypt too but estimates to get better results by playing the card of frientship towards the Arab world and Palestinians.
    As the saying goes “the enemy of my enemy is my friend”.
    Turkey through Davutoglu, Minister of Foreign Affairs, has expressed their vision to play dominant role in the area. Playing a dominant role doesn’t mean playing a fair game.