YOUSSEF IBRAHIM: TURKEY EMERGES IN SINISTER ROLE IN FLOTILLA
Turkey Emerges in a Sinister New Role As ‘Aid Flotilla’ Seeks To Run Blockade
By YOUSSEF IBRAHIM, Special to the Sun | May 31, 2010
http://www.nysun.com/foreign/turkey-emerges-in-a-sinister-new-role-as-aid/86982/
The emergence of Turkey in a leading position against Israel is developing as the most significant aspect of the efforts of an “aid flotilla†to run the blockade of Gaza that is maintained by both Egypt and Israel.
Turkey, which is a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and aspires to join the European Union, ranks as chief instigator, leader, and organizer of the so-called Gaza aid flotilla of boats arrested overnight by Israeli commandoes. Inevitably the clash resulted in several dead and wounded, the latter including Israeli navy personnel, as well as condemnation of Israel, some via anti-Semitic rhetoric, from both Western Europe and the Arab world.
Yet there was nothing accidental about this collision. Videos show demonstrators on the boat attacking Israeli navy personnel with knives and live fire and seizing at least one of the soldiers’ weapons. Training, preparations and the loud propaganda preceded the flotilla, all earmarked to shed blood and launch another ‘‘hate the Jews’’ campaign.
Turkey and Hamas, the Islamist group governing Gaza since 2007, teamed up overtly to engineer the exercise for weeks. It was out there to see for all on Al Jazeera. So-called non-governmental aid groups included Turkish militants trained to fight and prepared to shed blood. The charade was meticulously watched over by the Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan whose Islamist Justice and Development Party spared no effort inveighing anti-Israel sentiments in the greater middle east region ever since it emerged in 2002.
The ‘’Hate the Jews’’ campaign will undoubtedly follow its course to the United Nations where the Security Council will fashion yet one more anti-Israeli resolution within days. The White House issued a statement today ‘’regretting’’ loss of life but failing to offer any support for the beleaguered Jewish state.
There is nothing new about blockades. Britain imposed a blockade in 1982 on the Falkland Islands and levied a 74 days long war, in which 255 British and 649 Argentine soldiers perished, to protect its sovereignty over these far-flung territories occupied by Argentina. Egypt has blockaded Gaza since 2007, reinforced with an 18-feet-deep steel wall to prevent tunnels to Gaza.
At least nine armed Turks were killed and dozens were wounded aboard the so-called aid flotilla overnight as it made its way for the Gaza Strip. The Turkish role is seriously disturbing in today’s Middle East. Two Democratic administrations in Washington, those of Presidents Carter and Clinton, oversaw a determined American mediation to bring about peace treaties between Israel and two Arab countries — Egypt in 1979 and Jordan in the 1990s.
The Obama administration began with the president’s effusive embrace, in a speech at Cairo, of the Muslim World and an extension of his hand to Iran. Yet Turkey is an example of relations moving in he wrong direction and, with the latest events, taking a sinister turn that could lead to a new war.
The Turkish role is seriously disturbing in today’s Middle East. Two US Democratic administrations, those of Carter and Clinton, oversaw a determined American mediation to bring about peace treaties between Israel and two Arab countries—Egypt in 1979 and Jordan in the eighties.
Now, a Democratic administration watches haplessly a renewed sinister encirclement led by Turkey with the membership of Hezbollah and Hamas and an isolated Syria designate Israel as an enemy state.
The Obama administration lackadaisical stand is at least suspicious. From Day One president Obama’s effusive embrace of the ‘’Muslim World’’ spanning his inauguration speech to his Cairo speech and his extended hand to Iran have planted seeds of encouragement to those in the Middle East who think it is time to launch yet another war on the Jewish state.
There has been a feeding frenzy in progress for months in the Arab and Turkish media, now nourished further by this death flotilla.
It may have not been the president’s intent to appear sympathetic to the wrong party, but it is not entirely accidental given an inordinate number of Middle East experts sprinkled across his administration – most of them Jews. Surely these folks should have been heard from earlier telling Turkey to stop it, not admonishing Israel for doing so.
The Turkish role is sinister as it could very well lead to a new war.
The excited participation of European countries rushing to condemn Israel is creepy.
And the whiff of anti-Semitism hangs heavily in the air.
Youssef m. Ibrahim is a senior fellow in the Federation for the Defense of Democracy and a columnist for the New York Sun)
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