RUTHFULLY YOURS

In wake of renewed Turkish demands that Israel apologize for the deaths of nine pro-terror activists killed in a maritime clash with the IDF, MK Danny Danon of Likud offered his own “apology” in a letter he read aloud in the Knesset Tuesday.

Danon’s speech was as follows:

To the Prime Minister of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan,
(by way of the Turkish ambassador to Israel)

Regarding: The request for an apology to the government of Turkey for the events aboard the Mavi Marmara of the Gaza flotilla.

I would like to apologize to you in the name of the entire state of Israel for the fact that the state of Israel did not take sufficient care to check the terrorist ship Marmara before it left Turkey. That would have prevented the ship from being armed with guns and other weapons, and from transporting terrorist activists under the patronage of the Turkish government.

Because of our excellent relationship, and your great respect for the state of Israel and the Zionist enterprise, I must apologize for the fact that the naval commandos who, when they reached the ship, were greeted by armed terrorist resistance that aimed to murder them did not immediately defend themselves with gunfire, and instead acted with restraint toward the pretend “peace activists” who sought to kill them.

Apologies for the fact that the commandos acted carefully, taking into account the presence of civilians on the ship, and killed only nine terrorists. If the state authorities had known that there were terrorists on the ship, the order would have been given to kill any person endangering our troops.

With your permission, one more apology is necessary, for Israel’s decision to release the dangerous terror supporters who were on the ship and not put them on trial for attempted murder, and even to pay for their tickets home.

And finally, please accept our full and heartfelt apology, for not asking the United Nations to censure Turkey, and for not demanding an investigation into the connection between the IHH terrorist organization, your party and you, Mr. Erdogan.

Warm wishes,
MK Danny Danon, speaking on behalf of the Israeli Knesset

Despite tensions between the two countries, Turkey came to Israel’s assistance during the Carmel fire, leading to hopes for an improvement in Israel-Turkish ties. However, Turkey repeated its demands for an apology for the Marmara clash, and for Israeli compensation payments to the families of those killed, a request which Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has rejected.

MK Danon said Monday that compensation payments would be “tantamount to surrendering to terror,” and would motivate future terrorists.