UNITED NATIONS â A United Nations review has found that Israelâs naval blockade of Gaza is legal and appropriate, but that the way Israeli forces boarded a flotilla that sailed from Turkey to try to break that blockade 15 months ago was excessive and unreasonable. Nine passengers were killed. The report, expected to be released Friday, also found that when Israeli commandos boarded the main ship, they faced âorganized and violent resistance from a group of passengersâ and were therefore required to use force for their own protection. Turkey is particularly upset by the conclusion that Israelâs naval blockade is in keeping with international law âIsrael faces a real threat to its security from militant groups in Gaza,â the report says in its opening paragraphs. âThe naval blockade was imposed as a legitimate security measure in order to prevent weapons from entering Gaza by sea and its implementation complied with the requirements of international law.â The report is hard on the flotilla, asserting that it âacted recklessly in attempting to breach the naval blockade....There exist serious questions about the conduct, true nature and objectives of the flotilla organizers, particularly I.H.H.â http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/02/world/middleeast/02flotilla.html?_r=2&hp
Turkey just expelled the Israeli Ambassador because Israel won't apologize for the deaths that resulted from that boarding. From what I have read and seen (there is a video showing the commandos being attacked) this was a planned attack knowing Israel would be boarding the vessel if it didn't turn back. If I were conducting the boarding they would be done underwater. Any vessel crossing a well defined imaginary line in the sea would be sunk. No boarding required.
Yep. Erdogan ordered the report, now that its findings were in Israel's favor putting 95% of the blame on Turkey, he like a spoiled brat throws a temper tantrum. Oh well, Turkey just lost its pivotal role in the Middle East, access to Israel's high-tech (including military) technology, actually the technology will likely flow to Turkeys arch-rivals Greece, Cyprus and the Kurds, and 2 billion dollars in sales of its shitty easily replaceable export to Israel like food and clothing. Oh, and a ton of tourism shekels to boot, there is a lot of Anatalyas in the world, let's see how Libyans and Gazans will replace millions of Israeli tourists. Israel...well Israel lost a spiteful, backstabbing friends who prefered to be in bed with Ahmadinejad, Hamas and Assad. Good riddance and bye bye Ataturk legacy.
Yeah, Erdogan purged the officer corps to kill the secular tradition that had been upheld by the turkish military. Now they are a genuine Islamist country and an enemy to democratic civilization worldwide. If the military doesn't overthrow this guy soon it is all over for them economically and culturally.
This is a story the mainstream media studiously ignore. Turkey is a member of NATO, but is rapidly entering the Iranain/al qaeda orbit. Another reason we should be planning to exit NATO. Why should we bankrupt ourselves to subsidize the defense of a bunch of euro pacifists who cannot run a war for two weeks against libya without us bailing their sorry asses out? NATO was formed to protect europe against an assault by the ofl Soviet Union. Since reagan wont he Cold WAr and the Soviet Unin was dismantled, there has been no reason to continue NATO. Everything it has done since has been in the nature of a desperate bureaucratic attempt to justify its continued existence.
Turkey is rapidly becoming a muzzie terrorist country. Israel did the right thing to kill the Turkish terrorists. We should expel the Islamoscum Turks from NATO. Israel should form an alliance with the Greeks to challenge the idiot Turks and kill them if they send ships of terrorism. There are too many muzzie lovers on ET defending Al-Quaeda, Turkey etc. We need to take revenge for 911. Turkey, Iran and Syria should be our first targets, since these are the most dangerous muzzies. God bless America and Israel. Jerusalem is the eternal capital of Israel, the land of God's chosen people. Christians of America need to consider expelling Turkey from NATO and then bombing Turkey. The loyalty of the USA lies with Israel according to the Holy Christian bible.