Tag Archive for Israel Turkey

| August 19, 2013
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Due to possible terror threat in Turkey, gov’t warns Israelis to stay away

 

Morocco & Turkey,  popular destinations where tens of thousands of Israelis have visited,  appears on Israel’s Counterterrorism Bureau’s semi-annual travel advisory. Gov’t asks Israelis to mix up their routines while abroad.

By Shlomo Cesana

 

The Israeli government issued an unequivocal travel advisory on Monday warning Israelis to avoid visiting Turkey, a popular vacation destination for Israelis over the summer and during the coming Jewish holidays.

Antalya, in southern Turkey, is a favorite Israeli tourist destination - Photo: AP

Antalya, in southern Turkey, is a favorite Israeli tourist destination – Photo: AP

The Prime Minister’s Office issued its routine semi-annual travel warning, formulated by the Counterterrorism Bureau in the Prime Minister’s Office, stating that “all non-essential visits to Turkey should be avoided.”

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Category: Israel News | Tags: , , ,
| July 26, 2013
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Turkey: Detained bird was not spying for Israel

 

Turkish daily Hurriyet reports: After interrogation & X-ray test, the detained kestrel with leg-tag reading ‘4311 Tel Avivunia Israel’ was not carrying microchips & released “to fly away”.

By Ynet

 

Turkish authorities have “cleared a renegade bird captured in the Ağın district of the eastern province of Elazığ on suspicions of working for Israel’s state-of-the-art intelligence agency,” the Hurriyet newspaper reported Friday.

After being arrested, detained, interrogated, & x-rayed, the bird was 'Free to fly away.'

After being arrested, detained, interrogated, & x-rayed, the bird was ‘Free to fly away.’

According to the report by the Turkish newspaper, residents of Altınavya village became suspicious that the little kestrel could be more than a bird that lost its way when they found it wore a metallic ring stamped with the words “24311 Tel Avivunia Israel,” and delivered it to the district governorate. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: , , , ,
| July 25, 2013
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Ankara: Israel’s Compensation for Marmara Deaths Not Enough

Turkey’s Deputy PM says his country isn’t satisfied with Israel only paying compensation for the Marmara victims.

By Elad Benari

 

Despite Israel’s apology to Turkey over the Mavi Marmara incident and the talks on compensation to the victims, Turkey is continuing to make reconciliation between the two countries difficult.

Mavi Marmara – AFP photo

On Wednesday, Turkey’s Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc said that his country will not be satisfied with Israel simply paying compensation to the Marmara victims. The Jewish state, he said, must acknowledge that the money it is paying to the victims is a result of its committing a wrongful act. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: ,
| July 15, 2013
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Russia reports Turkey worked with Israel to target missile cache in Syria


Russia Today reports Israel Air Force jets used a Turkish air base to launch an attack on a Syria weapons depot in Latakia earlier this month.

Israel’s PM Netanyahu: I’m not in the habit of saying what we did or didn’t do.

By Israel Hayom Staff & news agencies

 

Turkey helped Israel carry out an attack on a Syrian arms depot earlier this month, Russia Today reported on its website on Monday. According to the report, Israeli jets used a Turkish military base to launch one of its airstrikes targeting an arms store in the Syrian port city of Latakia on July 5.

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Category: Israel News | Tags: , ,
| June 26, 2013
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Brokered deal with Obama, broken – Israel falls prey

After extracting Israeli apology for the Marmara raid, Turkey has yet to fulfill its end of White House brokered reconciliation deal.

‘Time to make Ankara pay diplomatic price for its nasty behavior,’ top official says.

By Shimon Shiffe

Despite the fact that Israel apologized to Turkey over the Mavi Marmara incident some three months ago, Ankara has yet to fulfill any of the commitments it took upon itself as part of the reconciliation agreement brokered by US President Barack Obama, Yedioth Ahronoth reported Wednesday.

Terrorist ambush on deck (Photo: IDF Spokesman's Office)

Marmara raid – Photo: IDF Spokesman’s Office

Senior Israeli officials who are familiar with the situation described Turkey’s conduct as humiliating and disrespectful, adding that it exposes IDF soldiers and officers who took part in the 2010 raid on the Gaza-bound Turkish ship to lawsuits by the victims’ families. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: , ,
| June 12, 2013
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Turkish News reports: Mossad chief made secret visit to meet Erdogan

Turkey’s Hurriyet Daily News reports that Tamir Pardo met Turkish counterpart to discuss Iran’s nuclear program, the situation in Syria & the current protests against Erdogan. 

By  

Mossad director Tamir Pardo secretly visited Ankara several days ago and met with his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan. According to a report in the Hurriyet Daily News, Pardo asked Fidan to arrange a meeting for him with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

mossad - Moti Milrod - December 30 2010

Mossad chief Tamir Pardo – Photo: Moti Milrod

According to the newspaper report, the secret meeting took place in Ankara on Monday, June 10. During the meeting, Pardo and Fidan discussed the situation in Syria, the Iranian nuclear program and the demonstrations and protests against Erdogan in Turkey. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: , , ,
| May 14, 2013
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Int’l Criminal Court opens investigation of Gaza flotilla fiasco

International Criminal Court’s prosecutor obliged to open investigation after request from Comoros, an Indian Ocean island nation, to which one of the vessels Israel raided in 2010 was registered.

Few preliminary probes lead to a full investigation, let alone trial.

By Reuters

The International Criminal Court’s prosecutor said on Tuesday she would open a preliminary examination into the events surrounding the 2010 Israel Navy raid on a Turkish-flagged aid flotilla to the Gaza Strip.

Mavi Marmara AP 22.5.10

Mavi Marmara taken on May 22, 2010 – Photo: AP

 

Nine Turkish citizens died during the raid on the flotilla, which set out from Turkey to the Gaza. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: , , ,
| May 13, 2013
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Families of those killed on the Mavi Marmara vow to press on with lawsuits

The families said that they would look to an int’l court claiming the Turkish judiciary did not properly perform its duties, if the trials are dropped in Turkey.

By JTA Staff

 

JERUSALEM–- Families of the Turkish nationals injured in Israel’s raid on the Mavi Marmara said they will sue Israeli soldiers and their commanders despite an agreement between Turkey and Israel.

Pro-Palestinian activists wave Turkish and Palestinian flags welcoming the Marmara.

Pro-Palestinian activists wave Turkish and Palestinian flags during the welcoming ceremony for cruise liner Mavi Marmara at the Sarayburnu port of Istanbul December 26, 2010. – Photo: Reuters

Under the agreement, the families would receive up to 20 times the amount of compensation they are seeking in their civil lawsuits, Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınc told the Turkish Daily Zaman, the news service reported Sunday.

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Category: Israel News | Tags: , ,
| May 7, 2013
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Turkey, Israel work out compensation draft

PM’s Office says final agreement on compensation to the families of Turks killed by IDF commandos on the Mavi Marmara expected soon.

By Attila Somfalvi, AP

 

Israel and Turkey have reached a draft agreement on compensation for the victims of a 2010 Israeli raid on a Gaza-bound flotilla.

Raid on Mavi Marmara (Archive photo: AP)

Raid on Mavi Marmara – Archive photo: AP

The draft agreement was reached during a meeting in Jerusalem on Monday between Turkish officials, headed by the deputy foreign minister, and Israeli government representatives.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Office said a final agreement was expected soon. It did not reveal details on Monday’s agreement and said “additional clarifications” were needed on a “few issues.” Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: ,
| April 27, 2013
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No criminal charges against Israelis as Flotilla deal becomes Turkish law

Israel-Turkey agreement will become binding int’l treaty once approved by the Turkish gov’t & parliament.

Turkish paper reports Israel also to compensate 70 Turkish citizens injured aboard the Marmara.

By

 

The agreement between Israel and Turkey over reparations to the Gaza flotilla victims’ families is slated to be brought before Turkey’s parliament in Ankara for approval. According to senior Israeli officials, once it passes, the agreement will be legislated into a law that will prevent Turkish citizens from filing of criminal charges against Israel Defense Forces soldiers and officers involved in the Gaza flotilla incident.

Pro-Palestinian activists wave Turkish and Palestinian flags welcoming the Marmara.

Pro-Palestinian activists wave Turkish and Palestinian flags during the welcoming ceremony for cruise liner Mavi Marmara at the Sarayburnu port of Istanbul December 26, 2010.

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Category: Mid-East News | Tags: , , ,
| April 26, 2013
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Turkey trucks its goods via Israel to Jordan

In avoiding Syrian unrest, Turkish shipping has been docking at Haifa Port over the past 5 months, unloading its

cargo onto trucks bound for Jordan

By Lior El-Hai

The relationship between Turkey and Israel had been in a downward spiral up until a few weeks ago; now it seems that at least where trade is concerned, Middle East realities trump politics.

בדרך לעימות הגדול? נמל חיפה (צילום: רויטרס)

Haifa port – Photo: Reuters

Just recently, the opposition party in Turkey attempted to embarrass its country’s prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, by revealing that a Turkish shipping company owned by his son was moving its cargo via Israel, in spite of the tensions between the two countries. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: , ,
| April 23, 2013
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Analysis: How much for Marmara compensation

A look into the context of the Israel-Turkey ex gratia payment negotiations, even though there’s no legal enforceability.

By YONAH JEREMY BOB

 

 

 
The real negotiations between Israel and Turkey to put the 2010 Mavi Marmara flotilla incident behind them have only just begun.
Turks mark anniversary of flotilla in Istanbul

Turks mark anniversary of flotilla in Istanbul – Photo: REUTERS

With three years of arguing over whether there would be “regret” or an “apology,” the real fight comes down to the money, with reports indicating Turkey wants $9 million, or $1m. per dead Turkish citizen and that Israel’s initial offer was $900,000, or $100,000 per victim.

The legal context of the negotiations is the wild and virtually unbounded world of ex gratia payments.

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Category: Mid-East News | Tags: ,
| April 23, 2013
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Erdoğan to visit Gaza in May ignoring Kerry’s request

Turkish

media reports

 their PM refuses to postpone Gaza visit set for May despite US Secretary of State’s request.

Turkish officials meet with Israelis in Ankara to discuss compensation

Roi KaisBy

 

US Secretary of State John Kerry on Sunday urged Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to postpone his visit to Gaza in order to prevent disruptions to efforts to restart the peace process between Israel and the Palestinians.

 

Kerry & Erdoğan – Photo by Reuters

Reports in Turkey said Erdogan refused the request. Meanwhile, US Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel is in Israel to discuss developments in Syria and Iran. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: , ,
| April 14, 2013
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Mavi Marmara Activist: ‘We Asked For It’

A senior activist aboard the Mavi Marmara has admitted that Turkey should have taken actions in preventing its activists from attempting to breach the legal Israeli blockade.

By Arutz Sheva staff

 

One of the chief activists on the Mavi Marmara flotilla has announced that the Turkish government should have taken measures to prevent the activists from attempting to breach Israel’s blockade of the Gaza Strip in 2010.

“What is the importance of the apology? ‘We killed nine people and are sorry’ – of course it sounds ridiculous. I say this is what the state should have done. If only it had prevented this at the start. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: ,
| April 14, 2013
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Turkey prevents NATO meeting with Israel

The Turkish daily Hurriyet reports suggestion to resume meetings between ministers from Israel and 6 Arab Mediterranean countries was blocked by Ankara & Cairo, who said ‘it’s not the right time’.

By Ynet

 

An initiative to bring Israel and six Arab countries’ ministers together under NATO’s Mediterranean Dialogue group for the first time since 2008 has been nixed by Turkey and Egypt, Turkish daily Hurriyet reported Saturday.

Ankara and Cairo reportedly said “it was not the right time” for such a meeting.

“The general-secretary was planning to invite the foreign ministers of the Mediterranean Dialogue countries on the sidelines of the NATO foreign ministers meeting scheduled for April 23 but Turkey objected to the idea,” a Western diplomat told Hürriyet. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: , ,
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