Category: News

Lab tests reveal Israel used phosphorus bombs in Gaza

Laboratory tests conducted on a piece of soil brought from Gaza to Turkey by a human rights association revealed that Israel used phosphorus bombs against Gaza during its three-week war starting in late 2008, the Vakit daily reported yesterday.

İstanbul’s Yıldız Technical University, which conducted the laboratory tests on the soil brought from Gaza by the Association of Human Rights and Solidarity for Oppressed Peoples (MAZLUM-DER) found particles of phosphorus bombs, which are prohibited under international conventions. More than 1,300 people, including children and women, were killed, and thousands of others were injured during the 22-day Israeli attacks on Gaza, which drew worldwide protests and international condemnation.

Following the laboratory results, MAZLUM-DER filed a criminal complaint against Israel at the İstanbul’s Prosecutor’s Office yesterday. The use of phosphorus bombs against civilians was banned (by signatory countries) in the 1980 Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons Protocol III. Phosphorus bombs, which include toxic materials, cause burns on the body and damage the liver, kidneys and heart.

Source: TODAY’S ZAMAN, 18 February 2009

February 18, 2009
Edirne’s synagogue to open for worship

Source:

EDİRNE – The General Directorate of Foundations will restore the historic Büyük Synagogue (the Great Synagogue) in Edirne’s Kaleiçi Village.

“Büyük Synagogue is one of the two biggest synagogues in the world but today it is a wreck,” said Edirne Governor Mustafa Büyük, adding that the restorations of the synagogue will start in one month.

The synagogue built in 1907, located in Kaleiçi Village in the Marmara region, lost its ceiling and its side wall in 1997 because of lack of care. The restoration will enable Jews to worship in the synagogue again.

The wrecked synagogue has a capacity of 1,200 people. Two domes, one on a sidewall of the main room and one on the side of the entrance door, also collapsed in 1997. Büyük said the many mosques and Christian and Jewish worship houses brought cultural richness to Edirne. “After restoring two churches we opened them to worshippers. Now we will restore the Great Synagogue to open it for Jews after many years,” he said.

The budget unknown

The budget of the restoration is not yet clear because bidding has not taken place. The duration of the restoration is also not certain. “The restoration of the synagogue is a sign of Turkey’s splendor. We believe there will be many people traveling to Edirne to see the synagogue,” Büyük said.

Businessman Yasef Romando, a Jew living in Edirne, said the Great Synagogue was built after 13 synagogues burnt down in 1907. “It was used until 1970, but after many of the Jews migrated to the United States, Canada, Israel and Istanbul, the synagogue went vacant,” he said.

A similar synagogue exists in Austria. The synagogue in Austria is open to worshippers. “We cannot wait to see the restored synagogue in Edirne, we are so excited. I am sure the children and grandchildren of people who once lived in Edirne will visit the city and the synagogue once it is completed.”

Israeli Consul General in Istanbul Mordehai Amihai, who visited Edirne in December, said he loved the city and his grandfather used to live there. He said all Jews would be pleased to see the restored synagogue.

Source: www.hurriyet.com.tr, February 18, 2009

February 18, 2009
Mustafa Kabakci: “There are no changes in Turkey’s policy regarding Azerbaijan, it is impossible”

Baku. Gulshen Hajiyeva –APA. “There are no changes in the Turkey’s policy regarding Azerbaijan, it is impossible”, said Mustafa Kabakci, member of Turkish Parliament and head of the Turkey-Azerbaijan friendship group, in his exclusive interview with APA.

MP denied the reports about the Turkey’s retracting of demand for withdrawal of Armenian troops from the Azerbaijani land instead of improvement of Turkish-Armenian relations. “I called the Turkey’s foreign ministry after that I saw these reports. They told me that there were no changes in the Turkey’s Azerbaijan policy. Being the head of Azerbaijan-Turkey friendship group, I am expressing the Turkey’s opinion. The Nagorno Karabakh problem is the issue of not only Azerbaijan, but Turkey too. There is an injustice against Azerbaijan. Nagorno Karabakh was occupied. It is impossible that we retracted the demand for withdrawal of Armenian invaders from the Azerbaijani lands”.
Radio Liberty’s Armenian service spread reports about the Turkey’s retracting the demand of Armenian withdrawal from the Azerbaijani lands, but Turkey’s Foreign Ministry didn’t make announcement denying that.

February 17, 2009
Turkish Parliament to hold hearing on Khojali Genocide

Baku. Gulshen Hajiyeva–APA. Turkish Parliament will hold hearing on Khojali Genocide, Member of the Parliament and Head of the Turkey-Azerbaijan Friendship group Mustafa Kabakci told APA. Kabakci said he would made report during the hearings behind the closed doors to be held on February 25 on the occasion of 17th anniversary of the Khojali Genocide.

Massacres committed by Armenians in Azerbaijan and Turkey, occupation of Azerbaijani territories and other issues will be discussed during the hearings.

February 17, 2009
A cynical use of morality

A cynical use of morality

By Haaretz Editorial

Two outrageous new developments have worsened the already tense
relations between Israel and Turkey. Gen. Avi Mizrahi, the head of the
Israel Defense Forces’ Ground Forces issued a tongue-lashing to
Turkey’s prime minister to remind the country of past atrocities. It
goes without saying that as an army man, Gen. Mizrahi is not tasked
with formulating Israel’s foreign policy, nor does he appraise other
countries. But even more grievous is the liberty he took to denounce
and preach morality to a strategic ally, causing a stir in relations
between Israel and Turkey.

At the same time, Israel’s Foreign Ministry pulled out a long worn-out
card, threatening to label the massacre of Armenians in 1915 as
genocide. It is hard to believe that the Foreign Ministry had a sudden
attack of morality regarding the Armenians. For years the ministry has
avoided adopting the word holocaust or genocide regarding the massacre
of Armenians, not only because Israel seeks to preserve its
exclusivity over the word holocaust. Mainly, it knows that adopting
the word genocide in the Armenians’ case would be tantamount to a
diplomatic showdown with Turkey, one that would in all likelihood
result in a severing of ties.

This time the Foreign Ministry apparently decided that the Turkish
prime minister’s blunt statements about Israeli policy deserve a
fitting Israeli response, or at the very least the threat of such a
response. The debate is not whether to define the killing of Armenians
as genocide or a holocaust. This is a moral issue that obligates us to
re-examine history and offer a value-based judgment. The criticism is
aimed at Israel’s trying to make political use of the Armenian issue
to “punish” Turkey for daring to be so insolent as to condemn the
military operation, whose results are a matter of controversy even in
Israel.

Turkey is one of Israel’s most important allies even if its prime
minister does not always express an understanding of our policies or
resorts to insulting language. The Foreign Ministry’s main efforts
should thus be geared toward containing the dispute and restoring the
relationship to its proper course. If Israel seeks to alter its stance
on the question of the murder of the Armenians, it would be wise to do
so at a more appropriate time, from a worthy position of morality and
not as a way to make threats. It shouldn’t happen whenever a
disagreement erupts with Turkey.

As for Gen. Mizrahi, perhaps the chief of staff should let his
subordinates know when they are overstepping the bounds of their
authority. In a different era, one would have expected the general to
be relieved of his duties because of his comments.

February 17, 2009
USA PRESIDENTS DAY IS TODAY

“Atatürk reminds us of one of this century’s greatest human successes, a leadership that gives inspiration to the Turkish people, a foresighted understanding of the modern world and his power and great courage as a military leader. The birth of a free Turkey out of a collapsing empire, the honorable proclamation of a New Turkey’s sovereignty and independence and its preservation since then is the work of Atatürk’s Turkish people. Without doubt, there’s no other example like his deep-rooted and broad-based revolutions in Turkey that demonstrate the confidence of the crowds in him.”

John F.KENNEDY
U.S. President, November 10, 1963

Turkish Republic Postal Stamp, 1926. Gifted by the Late Armagan Sanver, Veteran of the Korean War and Member of the American and Turkish Veterans Association. Evinch Family Collection. (MR. G. EVİNÇ IS THE PRESIDENT ELECT OF ATAA)

FROM ATAA GRASSROOTS MAILING

February 16, 2009