Category: Israel

Israel Matzav: Turkey to go to war against Israel if Israel attacks Iran?

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has hinted to Iranian media that Turkey will go to war against Israel if Israel attacks Iran (Hat Tip: Joshua I).

“In our area, we do not accept such an operation. We will also react negatively to such operation,” he added.

The minister stated that there are circles willing to cause strife between Tehran and Ankara but they cannot affect ties between the two sides.

Davutoglu noted that Iran and Turkey have different ideas about developments in Syria but Ankara will oppose any possible military move against Tehran.

What could go wrong?

via Israel Matzav: Turkey to go to war against Israel if Israel attacks Iran?.

March 20, 2012
Hamas: We’ll continue fighting Israel in political arena

During visit to Turkey, Mashaal calls on Palestinians to leave differences aside for sake of national unity, claims recent rocket fire was act of self defense

Ynet

Published: 03.18.12, 18:30 / Israel News

Hamas politburo chief Khaled Mashaal said Sunday during a visit to Turkey, “We will naturally continue our fight against Israel in political, diplomatic and media fields. We will try to get the greatest support possible from the world.”

He said that the recent missile attacks on Israel were in self-defense, asserting that Palestinian missiles are fired only after Israeli attacks. He also accused Israel of using Gaza as a “guinea pig” when testing its missile capabilities as tensions between Israel and Iran increase.

Related stories:

Mashaal: Israeli aggression unjustified

Turkey calls for Palestinian unity

IDF: 1.7 million left defenseless

Turkish newspaper Zaman Today reported that the Hamas leader dismissed claims that the new Arab regimes would be less willing to support the Palestinian cause.

“We think the Arab Spring is a milestone in our community’s history, and in our opinion, this is the rebirth of a community,” he said.

“The Arab Spring is the way nations voice their own wills and make their own decisions, and it will bring economic growth and development and political and cultural development,” he said.

Mashaal’s meetings in Ankara revolved mainly around Palestinian reconciliation efforts. “We want to open a new page, and we think that we have created a domestic peace atmosphere. Peace is obligatory, and Palestinians should be unified. The Palestine issue is our cause, and our stance on occupation is the same,” he said.

תקיפה ברצועה. “ישראל ירתה קודם” (צילום: EPA)

Israeli strike on Gaza (Photo: EPA)

“I would like to send a message to all Palestinian people living in and out of Palestine: Let’s exert efforts seriously and sincerely to make an internal compromise agreement. … We should sacrifice our personal and political views for the sake of the Palestine cause.”

As part of his visit to Turkey, Mashaal met with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and President Abdullah Gul. On Sunday, he thanked Turkey for its part in the reconciliation efforts conveying Hamas’ appreciation for Ankara.

via Hamas: We’ll continue fighting Israel in political arena – Israel News, Ynetnews.

March 19, 2012
Esser Agaroth: Turkey To Israel: “We’re Happy To Take Your Money, But We’ll Criticize You Anyway.”

YNET: Turkey Calls On Israeli Tourists To Return

Speaking at Serbia Tourism Fair, deputy tourism minister says Antalia and Istanbul ‘miss’ Israeli tourism

Itamar Eichner, March 14, 2012

Turkish Deputy Minister of Tourism Ozgur Ozaslan expressed his hopes that return to Turkey. The government official spoke over the weekend with Israeli Ambassador to Serbia Yossef Levy.

“Antalia and Istanbul miss the Israeli tourists” said Ozaslan.

The two officials spoke during the opening event of the Serbian international tourism fair. The fair is hosting over 1000 presenters from 46 countries. This is the first time the Israel Ministry of Tourism is participating in the fair. Regardless, the guest of honor at the Serbian fair was Turkey – the most important destination for Serbian tourists. The opening event included a screening of a Turkish image video, and a traditional Ottoman dance.

During the fair, Deputy Minister Ozaslan met with the Israeli ambassador, and expressed his hopes for more cooperation between the countries in the future. “I hope the Israeli tourists will return to Turkey, we miss them,” said the deputy minister.

Ambassador Levy replied that as soon as the good relations between the countries will be restored, tourism will flourish. “Israel tourists will probably return to Turkey when they will feel welcome and liked. Unfortunately this is not the situation today,” he said.

Diplomat Levy was being VERY diplomatic, and WAY too nice, but was essentially correct.

Why should we even think about spending even one sheqqel in Turkey? (…or Jordan? …or Egypt?)

They’ve all got some hutzpah, expecting us to return to their country to throw our money around, while they continue to criticize Israel’s policy’s and actions toward defending itself. The Turks cannot even guarantee our safety while we are there!

My advice to Israelis is to visit your own country first. There is lots to see here, and that includes a historical and educational.

Never been to Hevron? Shiloh? Tzfath? Tiveria? Naharia? Mitzpeh Ramon? How about the Golan?

The multiple sites, festivals, climates, and attractions of Israel await you!

via Esser Agaroth: Turkey To Israel: “We’re Happy To Take Your Money, But We’ll Criticize You Anyway.”.

March 19, 2012
CIA Agent Exposes How Al-Qaeda Doesen’t Exist

March 19, 2012
Egypt house votes to expel Israeli envoy

Parliament’s lower chamber approves text which calls on the government “to revise all its relations… with that enemy”.

”]Egypt’s lower house of parliament has called for the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador from Cairo and halting of gas
exports.

The vote was taken by a show of hands on a report approved by the Arab affairs committee of the People’s Assembly calling for “the expulsion from Egypt of the Israeli ambassador and the recall of Egypt’s envoy from Tel Aviv”, the official MENA news agency reported on Monday.

According to the text, the MPs have also called for a halt of gas exports to Israel.

“Egypt will never be the friend, partner or ally of the Zionist entity which we consider as the first enemy of Egypt and the Arab nation,” read the text.

It also called on the Egyptian government “to revise all its relations and agreements with that enemy.”

The motion is seen as largely symbolic as only the ruling military council can make such decisions. There was no immediate comment from Israel on the vote.

Egypt and Israel have been bound by a peace treaty since 1979 but ties have strained since Hosni Mubarak was forced to step down as president last year by a popular uprising.

Israel has responded cautiously to the Arab Spring and in January it congratulated Egypt on the inauguration of its first post-revolutionary parliament. It has repeatedly stressed the importance of preserving the treaty between the two countries, and has called on Egypt’s new leadership to publicly state their commitment to the accord.

www.aljazeera.com, 13 Mar 2012

March 18, 2012
Activists Occupy AIPAC with message to Congress: No War On Iran

Uploaded by codepinkaction on 5 Mar 2012

***Take Action: Tell Congress and Obama: No War On Iran! Sign the petition at www.occupyaipac.org***

An AIPAC Policy Conference panel titled “Stopping Iran” had some unexpected speakers: activists with Occupy AIPAC and CODEPINK who stood up and “mic checked” Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Israeli Ambassador Jeremy Issacharoff. At about 2pm on March 5, four activists called out AIPAC for pushing for American support for an Israeli attack on Iran. One activist was violently attacked by an AIPAC member who used his tie to strangle the peaceful protester. Later in the afternoon two activists unfurled a “Don’t Bomb Iran” banner inside the AIPAC hall. Security promptly pushed them out of the hall, and also forcefully removed an AIPAC delegate who had nothing to do with the action, but was taken out for being a bystander.

The full People’s Microphone inside the panel said:
“Mic check!
Ros-Lehtinen is pushing war
based on lies.
We are the 99%
Wars benefit the 1%
Don’t bomb Iran!
Diplomacy not bombs.
AIPAC supports endless war.
We support peace.
Occupy Wall Street not Iran.
Occupy Wall Street not Palestine.
No war on Iran.”

The Occupy AIPAC coalition is gathering to urge Obama to reject the Israeli administration’s push for war on Iran and insist on respect for Palestinian rights. Timed to coincide with the annual AIPAC policy conference from March 3-6, Occupy AIPAC aims to draw attention to the dangerous role of AIPAC as a special interest lobby that maintains a stranglehold over US policies. As the Occupy Movement has focused public ire on the role of large corporations and powerful lobby groups, hundreds have gathered in DC to protest AIPAC’s push for war.

March 18, 2012