Tag Archive for Turkey

| June 13, 2012
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MKs: ‘We must recognize Armenian tragedy’

Knesset debates whether to recognize mass killing of Armenians by Ottoman Turks during World War I as genocide

By Moran Azulay

 

 

The Knesset held a special session Tuesday on the mass killing of Armenians by Ottoman Turks during World War I. “We must not politicize this matter,” said Knesset Speaker Rivlin, adding that in spite of the sensitivity of the issue, there is no intention to blame Turkey or the current Turkish government.

Remembering the atrocities Photo: AFP

Remembering the atrocities - Photo: AFP

MK Zahava Gal-On, chairwoman of the Meretz faction, who initiated the discussion, said that in recent years “the Armenian genocide has been swept under the rug” due to foreign relations concerns. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: ,
| June 6, 2012
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Erdogan Thumbs Nose at Israeli Tourism; ‘We Don’t Need You’

Erdogan, ignoring statistics that dropped to sixth place for Israeli exports, says his country does not need Israeli tourists.

Nine Turkish citizens were killed after they ambushed Navy commandos with knives and clubs, severely wounding several and kidnapping three until other commandos rescued them and overtook the ship.

Erdogan and Hamas leader Mashaal

Erdogan and Hamas leader Mashaal - Reuters

Erdogan has not forgotten the clash and still blames Israel, despite a United Nations report that Israel was within its right to try to stop the six-ship flotilla from reaching Hamas terrorist-controlled Gaza.

“We don’t need Israeli tourists in Turkey and we don’t feel their absence,”  Erdogan told journalists from two Israeli newspapers, Yediot Acharonot and Maariv during a reception in Istanbul yesterday. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: ,
| May 9, 2012
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Turkey ready to indict flotilla soldiers

Ankara’s State Prosecution still waiting for Israel to send names of soldiers who took part in Marmara raid. ‘When we receive the info, we’ll issue indictments,’ says justice minister

 

The Turkish Justice Ministry on Tuesday announced that the State Prosecutor’s Office has completed its probe into the IDF raid on the Turkish Marmara ship in May 2010, which resulted in the deaths of nine pro-Palestinian activists.

Justice Minister Sadullah Ergin said that his bureau had approached the Israeli Foreign Ministry in a request to receive a list of the names of Israeli soldiers who are supposed to stand trial. “When we receive the information, we will issue indictments to the relevant courts,” Ergin told Turkish news agency Anatolya. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: , , ,
| May 5, 2012
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Erdogan furious over Turkey rating downgrade

Turkey’s prime minister accuses ratings agency Standard & Poor’s of bias for lowering country’s long-term credit outlook

 

Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday accused ratings agency Standard & Poor’s of bias for lowering the country’s long-term credit outlook on the same day it upgraded Greece’s credit grade.

Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan Photo: EPA

Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan - Photo by EPA

S&P on Tuesday had dropped Turkey’s outlook from positive to stable, which mean it is no longer considering an upgrade of its credit rating, and cited concerns over government debt. The same day it had upgraded the ratings of neighboring Greece after Athens completed a major debt writedown with private creditors. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: ,
| April 25, 2012
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State Dept. Refuses to Stand Up For Israel on Summit

State Dept. refuses to stand up for Israel against a Turkish statement that it vetoed Israel’s participation in a NATO summit.

The U.S. State Dept. refused on Monday to stand up for Israel against a Turkish statement that it vetoed Israel’s participation in a NATO summit.

Hillary Clinton at press conference at NATO

Hillary Clinton at press conference at NATO - Photo by Reuters

State Dept. spokeswoman Victoria Nuland fended off a round of questions on the Obama administration’s support of Israel by a persistent Associated Press reporter  who went so far as to tell Nuland, I’m trying to help you out here, because you’re going to get absolutely slammed for not backing Israel.. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: ,
| April 22, 2012
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Country of Concern: Turkey Suppressing Christian Worship

ISTANBUL, Turkey — On April 18, 2007, three Christians were bound to their chairs, tortured, and stabbed repeatedly at a Bible print shop in Malatya — their throats slit.

Country of Concern: Turkey Suppressing Christian Worship

Country of Concern: Turkey Suppressing Christian Worship

Five years have now passed since the Malatya murders, an incident that was perhaps the most tragic and brutal murder of Christians in modern-day Turkey.

Click to view interview

Today, believers are facing increased persecution and the country is gradually moving away from secularism.

“You see everyday is April 18. Everyday I have to live without him,” widow Susanne Geske told CBN News on the one year anniversary of her husband’s murder. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: ,
| April 8, 2012
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Erdogan: Turkey will take ‘steps’ if Syria disregards ceasefire deadline

Turkish PM does not specify what measures Turkey could take; Ankara has in the past floated the idea of creating a buffer zone inside Syria.

Turkey’s prime minister says the country will wait “patiently” to see if Syria abides by a cease-fire deadline, but may take certain “steps” if the violence does not stop after that.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan did not specify Saturday what measures Turkey would take. But Ankara has in the past floated the idea of creating a buffer zone inside Syria if refugee flows become overwhelming.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan - Reuters - 5.4.2012

Recep Tayyip Erdogan addressing the media in Ankara - Photo by: Reuters

Officials say nearly 700 Syrians have crossed into Turkey since Friday, raising the number of refugees to 24,324. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: ,
| March 18, 2012
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Hamas: We’ll continue fighting Israel in political arena

During visit to Turkey, Mashaal calls on Palestinians to leave differences aside for sake of national unity, claims recent rocket fire was act of self defense

Hamas politburo chief Khaled Mashaal said Sunday during a visit to Turkey, “We will naturally continue our fight against Israel in political, diplomatic and media fields. We will try to get the greatest support possible from the world.”

He said that the recent missile attacks on Israel were in self-defense, asserting that Palestinian missiles are fired only after Israeli attacks. He also accused Israel of using Gaza as a “guinea pig” when testing its missile capabilities as tensions between Israel and Iran increase. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: ,
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