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| Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia |
| Israel expects split with Turkey |
| 2010-06-02 |
| ISRAEL has evacuated the families of its diplomats in Turkey in anticipation of a severing of diplomatic relations by Ankara. With anti-Israel sentiment sweeping Turkey, Israeli officials said concern for the security of the families prompted their speedy evacuation yesterday. The diplomatic pullout follows the storming of a Turkish vessel, the Mavi Marmara, off the Gaza coast by Israeli naval commandos and the killing of nine activists, at least four of them Turks. Israeli diplomats remain in Turkey but the embassy in Ankara and the consulate in Istanbul have been closed. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has taken an increasingly antagonistic line towards Israel as he moves his country closer to ties with Arab countries and Iran, called the killings aboard the ship a "bloody massacre" and said "Israel has shown once again how good it is at killing people". In what is regarded in Jerusalem as a possibly menacing tone, he said: "No one should test Turkey's patience. Turkey's hostility is as strong as its friendship is valuable." There is some concern in Israel that Mr Erdogan might order Turkish warships to accompany future convoys bringing aid to the Gaza Strip. Israel and Turkey have enjoyed close relations for years, jointly conducting military exercises and engaging in billions of dollars of trade. Politically, the relationship has been important to Israel because Turkey is a Muslim country. It was considered important by Turkey because Israel was seen as a channel to the West. |
| Posted by:tipper |