Turkey slams UN flotilla report, announces harsh measures against Israel

[snapper]

Yes the EU will just stand-by, no one in the EU is willing to die for some Greeks, so they will be able to drill in the Mediterranaen.

Very dangerously misguided view.

[Zinja]

Turkey doesn't have a leg to stand on?
Sure it does. (1) Disproportionate/ Excessive use of force

Disproportionate use of force only means Israel will use different tactics but is still entitled to board the flotillas - as far as the report is concerned, thats the leg that Israel is standing on. Turkey on the other hand is trying to force Israel not to board the flotillas altogether, a leg which it does not have.

(2) The boarding took place in international waters.

How many times should people keep repeating themselves to you?

The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is Turkey's back yard. The PKK is a major problem for Turkey. Any Israeli interference with the aforementioned issues will not be welcomed by Turkey.

But Turkey should be allowed to interfere in Israel's backyard?

Israel will not interfere in Cyprus affairs. If Turkey decides to violet Cyprus' territory its up to Cyprus to stand up for herself, Israel is only there for a commercial transaction. Turkey is better advised to take a leaf from Israel in that regard instead of stirring trouble in yonder places for other people.

[Doktor]

Man has to wonder why Israel and Cyprus become closer friends.

From wiki

Cyprus has frequently expressed concern over Israel's close defense relationship with Turkey. In the case of Israel, Cyprus has occasionally outwardly backed the Palestinians in the Arab-Israeli conflict, to the annoyance of some in the Israeli government. Cyprus, like over 100 other countries, officially recognizes Palestine as a de facto state. The island is also host to a number of Palestinian and Lebanese refugees.

Relations between the two countries continued to suffer when Cypriot first lady Antroulla Vasiliou, the wife of President George Vasiliou, was declared Persona Non Grata in Israel when a delegation she was leading attempted to meet with Yasser Arafat, who was under house arrest.

Controversy and public outcry arose in the early 2000s, when members of the Cypriot branch of the Greek Orthodox Church were accused of selling church-owned land in the West Bank to Israeli developers, putting Cypriot commitment to the Palestinian cause at question. The expulsion of two alleged Israeli spies from the island in 1998 also caused tension between the two governments.

The two countries now appear to be on improving terms, there has been coopertation on numerous areas but mostly on agriculture, military and tourism. The Cypriot government has also been reported to be making deals with both Israel and Egypt in exploring for oil off the southern Cyprus coast.

Israeli foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman visited Cyprus at the invitation of his Cypriot counterpart when Netanyahu was in Washington for the direct talks with the Palestinian leader. Lieberman and Cyprus foreign minister Kyprianou have met several times this year in an effort to strengthen relations between their countries.

[Dreadnought]

"As a littoral state which has the longest coastline in the Eastern Mediterranean, Turkey will take whatever measures it deems necessary in order to ensure the freedom of navigation in the Eastern Mediterranean"

This statement which was contained in the Press Release of the Turkish Foreign Minister has been further clarrified as follows:

(1) The Turkish Navy will escort all vessels to and from Gaza;
(2) The Turkish Navy will from now patrol the Eastern Mediterranean sea;
(3) All vessels to and from Syria and Lebanon will be escorted by Turkish Navy vessels
(4) Turkey will not allow any non-Israeli flagged vessel to be stopped and searched by Israeli Navy vessels in International waters within the Eastern Mediterranean sea.
(5) Turkey will deploy it's Naval Patrol and combat aircraft to police the Eastern Mediterranean sea by air.

And Turkey will be facing a much more advanced Israeli Navy, If it seeks confrontation over the blockade then they should prepare for confrontation because the Israeli's wont back down and chances are NATO will not intervene in a fight that Turkey provokes.

[Zinja]

Please read the front page of the Palmer report posted above.

It explicitly states that the report is not a court judgement or conclusive evidence of the facts surrounding the circumstances of the incident, nor is it binding on the countries involved.

An eminent jurist has merely provided a legal opinion. There are many other Turkish, Israeli and American jurists who have provided legal opinions with respect to this matter. The only difference is that the Palmer report has the seal of the UN on the front and was commissioned by the UN.

And thats the only difference that matters.

What matters is any future decision of the ICJ, which is binding on all UN members.

....until then, the only opinion that matters for now internationally is the palmer report.

Having said this, the report does not merely single Turkey out. It states that Israel used disproportionate/excessive force.

Israel may change using 'excessive' force but the report clearly exonerates Israel to continue using the tactic of boarding the flotillas.

[Dreadnought]

This is becoming quite zesty. no doubt Turkey is looking for a confrontation, they are spoiling for a fight.

They will get just that. You can bet on it.

[Zinja]

Obviously you didn't, in the report, it is stated that the Turks were shot from close range and the back. Those were executions and are punishable under any law, well except Jewish obviously.

Obviously you didn't read the Israel government official's response either

The senior Israeli government official said those hit in the back were attacking soldiers when they were shot from behind by other soldiers acting to save their comrades.

Oh please spare me your propaganda with the Paintballguns, Paintballguns don't kill.

Oh please spare us from your hate-mongering bigotry.
Paintballguns are used for assumed non-lethal adversary and real bullets are used for dangerous, life threatening enemies. You figure which category the 'peaceful activists' fell into with their knives, metal bars etc stubbing and throwing IDF officers overboard ships.

[isim]

Man has to wonder why Israel and Cyprus become closer friends.

Man has to wonder why Turkey prefers better, real friends.

[Doktor]

Man has to wonder why Turkey prefers better, real friends.

Like? I don't see any country outside ME backing Turkey to escort flotillas.

[Dreadnought]

Stopping the ships from entering the blockade is one thing, killing the Protesters in order to show strength is quite another.

Attacking a boarding force well within its rights when confronted by an outside entity resulted in those people being shot and man handled. They spoiled for a fight, they got one. An uneven one as it may but well prevoked.

By Maritime Law the Captains of those ships should have seen a very brief court hearing, their Captains papers (if they even had them) revoked and then to jail for the deaths of those aboard for hazzarding their ship and those aboard by provoking a declared Naval blockade.
Instead they throw a party for them when they returned, sheer ignorance.

The responsibility lies with them although Turkey obviously ignores this and therfore in this case Maritime Law. You want justice but yet are not justified in your cause.

I dont want to see anyone killed either, but obviously the captains of those ships are as ignorant as the protestors they carried aboard otherwise they would have followed Maritime Law in International waters and they chose to ignore it.

You seem to want everyone else involved to take responsibility for this except Turkey and those ships Captains in which both were responsible for the safety of those aboard. Not the Israelis.

Simple physics...For every action there is a reaction. However unjustified its going to happen and maybe just maybe they should realize this and take some responsibility for it.

[Zinja]

Erm, not to get run over by Merkava maybe?

[Zinja]

Why do you need to threat Israel? I mean Turkey has a lot of issues without this on their hands. Greece, Armenia, Syria, Iraq, Russia, Cyprus to start with.

Exactly! But then again, we are not surprised are we:)?

[Zinja]

Yes the EU will just stand-by, no one in the EU is willing to die for some Greeks, so they will be able to drill in the Mediterranaen.

You are very misguided indeed. If you think when Cyprus takes the issue to the EU the EU will just shrug off its shoulders when a member state faces an existential threat, think again.

[airforceexpert]

And Turkey will be facing a much more advanced Israeli Navy, If it seeks confrontation over the blockade then they should prepare for confrontation because the Israeli's wont back down and chances are NATO will not intervene in a fight that Turkey provokes.

"much more advanced" Israeli Navy

The current Turkish fleet

Submarines (14 in service)
4 Gür class Type 209T2/1400 submarine
4 Preveze class Type 209T1/1400 submarine
6 Atılay class Type 209/1200 submarine

Frigates (17 in service)
2 Salihreis class (MEKO 200 TN IIB) frigate
2 Barbaros class (MEKO 200 TN IIA) frigate
4 Yavuz class (MEKO 200 TN I) frigate
8 G class (Ex-Oliver Hazard Perry class) frigate (under GENESIS modernization Mk-41 VLS, ESSM and SM-1 missiles)
1 Tepe class (Ex-Knox class) frigate (other 7 ships of this class retired)

Corvettes (7 in service)
6 B class (D'Estienne d'Orves class A-69 type Aviso) corvette
1 Ada class Stealth corvette (a total of 8 will be built as part of the Milgem project)

Fast attack craft and missile boat (27 in service)
6 Kılıç II class fast attack craft / missile boat
3 Kılıç class fast attack craft / missile boat
2 Yıldız class fast attack craft / missile boat
4 Rüzgar class fast attack craft / missile boat
4 Doğan class fast attack craft / missile boat
8 Kartal class fast attack craft / missile boat

Patrol craft (16 in service)
6 AB-25 class (Türk tipi) patrol craft
4 PGM71 class patrol craft
5 K class patrol boat
1 T class patrol boat

Mine Warfare Vessels (20 in service)
6 Aydın class mine hunters
5 Engin class mine hunters
4 F class mine sweepers
5 S class mine sweepers

Amphibious Warfare Vessels (45 in service)
1 Osman Gazi class landing ship, tank
2 Saruca Bey class landing ship, tank
2 Ertuğrul class landing ship, tank
24 Ç-117 class landing craft, tank
16 Ç-302 class landing craft mechanized

Tankers (13 in service)
2 Akar class fleet support ship
2 Albay Hakkı Burak class oil tanker
3 Binbaşı Sadettin Gürcan class oil tanker
1 Taşkızak class oil tanker
2 Van class water tanker
3 Söğüt class water tanker

Transport Ships (2 in service)
1 Iskenderun class logistics ship
1 Karadeniz Ereğli class dry cargo ship






Turkish Submarine Fleet


Mk-41 VLS equipped ex hevily reconstructed Oliver Hazard Perry class frigates

[Zinja]

How come Israel is the one that has been upgrading Turkey military assets and not the other way round? How come its Turkey buying Israeli UAVs and not the other way round?

You can be sure Turkey will meet the IAF first before the navies clash. He who rules the skies above rules the earth below.