Category: Israel

Israel and Turkey hold talks to heal rift over flotilla

Senior officials from Turkey and Israel have been meeting in Geneva to try to settle the diplomatic dispute caused by the killing of Turkish citizens in an Israeli raid on an aid flotilla in May.

The talks follow Turkey’s decision last week to send two aircraft to help its long-time ally fight a forest fire.

Nine people were killed on the Turkish ship, Mavi Marmara, as it tried to breach Israel’s blockade of Gaza.

Turkey has so far demanded that Israel apologise and offer compensation.

Israel has admitted mistakes were made in intelligence-gathering and planning, but insisted its commandos used lethal force on boarding the Mavi Marmara because pro-Palestinian activists had attacked them.

The activists have said the troops opened fire as soon as they boarded the vessel, which was in international waters at the time.

A blockade has been imposed on the Gaza Strip by Israel and Egypt since the Islamist militant group, Hamas, seized control in 2007.

Firefighting help

The BBC’s Jonathan Head in Istanbul says that, six months after the raid on the Mavi Marmara, the meeting in Geneva was the first real effort to end the diplomatic rift between the two countries.

Our nine brothers martyred on the Mavi Marmara must be accounted for. First an apology must be made and compensation must be paid”

The two senior officials are reported to have explored a compromise formula which bridges Turkey’s demand for an apology and compensation, and Israel’s insistence that its forces were justified in using force when they boarded the flotilla, our correspondent says.

The diplomatic ice was broken by an agreement to send two Turkish firefighting aircraft to help fight the huge wildfire burning north of Haifa.

Prime Minster Benjamin Netanyahu telephoned his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, to thank him – the first contact between the two since May.

However, Mr Erdogan later insisted the firefighting assistance was solely a humanitarian gesture.

“No-one can expect us to be silent, to abandon justice until the blood spilled in the Mediterranean is cleaned. Now some are coming out and saying: ‘Let’s begin a new phase.’ Before that, our demands must be met.

“Our nine brothers martyred on the Mavi Marmara must be accounted for. First an apology must be made and compensation must be paid.”

The United States has been pressing both countries to resolve their differences, but without any success until now.

Our correspondent says it could still take many more meetings to close the gap between their positions – even then, Turkish officials warn, the two countries will not be able to return to the levels of military and intelligence co-operation they had a decade ago.

Israel believes this is due to anti-Israeli prejudices within the governing Justice and Development Party (AKP) in Turkey; Turkey says it is Israel’s policies in Gaza, and Turkey’s ambitions in the wider Middle East, that make the restoration of their former partnership impossible, he adds.

via BBC News – Israel and Turkey hold talks to heal rift over flotilla.

December 7, 2010
Fire could spark rapprochement between Istanbul and Tel Aviv

TEL AVIV // Israel’s worst-ever wildfire last week may have killed dozens of people and made hundreds of others homeless, but it also appears to be serving as the unlikely trigger for fence-mending talks with Turkey.

Following some two years of deep tensions, made worse following Israel’s raid on a Turkish-flagged ship bound for Gaza last May, officials from the two countries met secretly in Geneva on Sunday to find a way to overcome the crisis in their formerly close ties.

The meeting, whose occurrence was confirmed to reporters by Turkish and Israeli foreign ministry officials who spoke on condition of anonymity, came just days after Turkey sent two aircraft to Israel to help battle a massive forest fire that killed at least 42 people.

Turkey’s help, which arrived in parallel to assistance from other countries, prompted Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister, to phone his Turkish counterpart, Tayyip Erdogan, and thank him. It was the first conversation between the two men since Israeli commandos killed nine Turkish activists while storming their boat, the Mavi Marmara, that was aiming to break Israel’s blockade of the Gaza Strip and provide its residents with aid supplies.

via Fire could spark rapprochement between Istanbul and Tel Aviv.

December 7, 2010
Israel Should Stop Building New Settlements, Turkish President

Turkey’s president said on Monday that Israel should give up building new settlements and start displaying a positive stance for the continuation of the peace talks with Palestine.

Turkish President Abdullah Gul and President Mahmoud Abbas of Palestine held a tete-a-tete meeting and later co-chaired talks between Turkish and Palestinian delegations at the Cankaya Presidential Palace in Ankara on Monday.

Appearing at a joint press conference with Abbas afterwards, Turkish President Gul said developments regarding the critical peace process in the Middle East were on the agenda of the Palestinian leader’s talks in Turkey.

Gul said that an independent Palestinian state, with East Jerusalem as its capital, should be founded in order to establish peace in the Middle East.

“We have previously expressed our strong support for the peace talks that started in the region in September. In order for the continuation of these peace talks, Israel should give up constructing new settlements and demolishing houses, besides, it should display a positive stance,” Gul said.

The Turkish president also noted that Jerusalem’s unique status was of great importance.

“Studies aiming at changing the identity and culture of Jerusalem, a city which has been home to different religions for thousands of years, should be stopped immediately,” Gul said.

Gul stated that Turkey would maintain its close cooperation and solidarity with Palestine, moreover, it would continue to extend social and economic support for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.

Upon a question on Turkish Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Feridun Sinirlioglu’s recent talks with Israeli officials in Geneva, President Gul said the talks had been held at a “technical level”.

“Turkey has clear expectations regarding the normalization of its relations with Israel,” the president said.

Gul also noted that Turkey welcomed Brazil and Argentina’s decision to recognize the state of Palestine.

“Presence of a Palestinian state is a reality. We expect everybody to recognize the independent state of Palestine just like we did in the past,” he added.

DISSOLUTION OF PALESTINIAN GOVERNMENT IS NOT IN QUESTION, PALESTINIAN PRESIDENT

Palestine’s president said on Monday that no demands had been voiced for the dissolution of the Palestinian government.

Speaking at a press conference following his talks with Turkish President Abdullah Gul in capital Ankara, President Mahmoud Abbas of Palestine said his country was aware that Turkey attached great importance to the Palestinian issue.

Abbas said all the issues concerning Palestine had been thoroughly discussed during his latest talks with Turkish officials.

Noting that his country had not yet received any clear notice for the resumption of peace talks with Israel, Abbas said there was also no indicator showing that the Jewish settlements in Palestine, particularly the ones in Jerusalem, had been stopped.

“Unless these settlements are stopped, we cannot carry on with the peace talks,” he said.The president also noted that Palestine would have various options to follow in case peace talks did not start again.

Upon a question on what these options would be, Abbas said one of the primary alternatives would be to call on other states to recognize Palestine’s independence, adding his country did not consider dissolving the Palestinian government an option.

Abbas also noted that the alternate methods would be implemented gradually if peace talks with Israel failed.

AA

December 7, 2010
Fire diplomacy might bring foes Turkey, Israel together

ANKARA – Hürriyet Daily News

Israeli firefighters douse a burning area in the village of Ussafiya in Carmel forest. AFP photo

The Turkish Foreign Ministry has refused to deny or confirm reports that Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had dispatched a representative to meet with one of the ministry’s undersecretaries to draft an agreement to end the Turkish-Israeli diplomatic crisis.

Israeli daily Haaretz reported over the weekend that Netanyahu sent the representative to the U.N. committee investigating the Gaza flotilla incident after Turkey sent assistance to help Israel put out a fire in the Carmel Mountains near Haifa last week. Quoting a senior Israeli source, the newspaper said the two representatives, Undersecretary Feridun Sinirlioğlu and Yosef Ciechanover from Israel, were expected to meet and draw up a draft agreement to put an end to the crisis.

A spokesman from the Turkish Foreign Ministry contacted by the Daily News, however, said he could neither confirm nor deny the claim by Haaretz.

The relationship between Turkey and Israel was dealt a serious blow in May when Israeli commandoes raided a Gaza-bound Turkish aid ship and left nine Turks dead. Turkey has said relations will not return to normal until Israel extends an apology and pays compensation to the victims’ families.

The Carmel fire is Israel’s worst forest fire ever and prompted Turkey to send two firefighting planes and a team of firefighters to help extinguish the flames. The action has broken the ice between the two rival leaders, Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his Israeli counterpart Netanyahu, who made the first contact after months of tensions when he called the Turkish prime minister to extend his country’s thanks.

But Erdoğan said Friday that despite the fire aid and his telephone conversation with Netanyahu, Turkey’s expectations from Tel Aviv remain the same. He reiterated that Turkey expects an apology for the flotilla incident and compensation for the victims. “We don’t confuse this issue with other issues,” he said.

Haaretz quoted sources at the Israeli Prime Minister’s Bureau as saying that contacts were being made with Turkey on the issue, without elaborating further.

The fire diplomacy sparked hope for improvement in the chilly relations between Turkey and Israel. During their telephone conversation, Netanyahu told Erdoğan, “I am sure this event can be a gateway to an improvement of relations between our countries,” diplomatic sources told the Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review.

The fire diplomacy recalls the “earthquake diplomacy” that helped revive Turkish-Greek ties after the 1999 Marmara earthquake, which killed nearly 17,000 people. Neighboring Greece was one of the first countries to extend a helping hand to Turkish victims. Israeli rescue teams also rushed to Turkey’s aid.

December 6, 2010
‘Israel and Turkey meet to reduce tensions’

Erdogan says Israel must show “sincerity” by apologizing, paying damages for raid on “Mavi Marmara,” before ties with Turkey can improve.

Officials from Israel and Turkey met in Geneva on Sunday to help reduce tensions, according to a CNN report, as Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan demanded an apology for the IDF raid on the Mavi Marmara. Erdogan also stated on Sunday that Israel must pay damages to those wounded and the families of those killed during the operation.

Yosef Ciechanover, the Israeli representative on the UN flotilla probe, was reportedly asked by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to travel to Geneva to attend the meeting.

“The two met in order to find ways to promote appeasement and diminish the tension between the two countries,” an Israeli official told CNN.

“We regretted the deterioration of the relationship between the two countries and we of course like to see an improvement of the relations,” he added.

On Sunday, Erdogan stated that despite Turkey’s recent provision of firefighting assistance to Israel’s efforts to the control the blazes that broke out in the Carmel region, a new page in Turco-Israeli relations would be possible without addressing the outstanding Turkish requests made in the aftermath of the failed May 31 attempt to break the Gaza blockade.”If a hand is outstretched towards us, we will not leave it hanging in the air,” Erdogan was quoted by Israel Radio as saying in a speech delivered in central Turkey. He continued, ” but we want to see an indication that it is a sincere gesture.”

Also on Sunday, Army Radio reported on a Turkish CNN interview with Erdogan, where the leader explained Ankara’s decision to send aid to Israel.

“We will not stand aside at a time when people are being killed and nature destroyed,” Erdogan was quoted as saying. “A day will come when we will turn the page [on diplomatic relations], but first Israel must apologize for the incidents of the Gaza flotilla and compensate [the families] of those killed.”

On Friday, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu thanked Erdogan for sending airplanes to help battle the Carmel brush-fire which had already claimed more than 40 lives.

“I really appreciate Turkey’s help, we will find a way to express our appreciation.” The prime minister’s comments came during a visit to the Carmel fire injured at Rambam hospital in Haifa.

He later added that he believed Ankara’s granting of aid to Israel “will serve as an opening to improve relations between Israel and Turkey.”

December 6, 2010
WikiLeaks: More Israeli Game Theory Warfare?

by Jeff Gates

The United States is the real victim of WikiLeaks. It’s an action aimed at discrediting them.
— Franco Frattini, Foreign Minister of Italy

The impact of the WikiLeaks release of diplomatic cables fits the behavior profile of those well versed in game theory warfare.

When Israeli mathematician, Robert J. Aumann, received the 2005 Nobel Prize in economic science for his work on game theory, he conceded, “the entire school of thought that we have developed here in Israel” has turned “Israel into the leading authority in this field.”

The candor of this Israeli-American offered a rare insight into an enclave long known for waging war from the shadows. Israel’s most notable success to date was “fixing” the intelligence that induced the U.S. to invade Iraq in pursuit of a geopolitical agenda long sought by Tel Aviv.

When waging intelligence wars, timing is often the critical factor for game-theory war planners. The outcome of the WikiLeaks release suggests a psy-ops directed at the U.S.

Why now? Tel Aviv was feeling pressure to end its six-decade occupation of Palestine. With this release, its foot-dragging on the peace process was displaced with talk of an attack on Iran.

While the U.S. bore the brunt of the damage, the target was global public opinion. To maintain the plausibility of The Clash of Civilizations, a focus must be maintained on Iran as a credible Evil Doer.

With fast-emerging transparency, Israel and pro-Israelis have been identified as the source of the intelligence that took coalition forces to war in Iraq. Thus the need to shift attention off Tel Aviv.

WikiLeaks may yet succeed in that mission.

Foreseeable Futures

Game theory war planning aims to create outcomes that are predictable — within an acceptable range of probabilities. That’s why Israeli war planners focus on gaining traction for a plausible narrative and then advancing that storyline step by gradual step.

For the Zionist state to succeed with its expansionist agenda, Iran must remain at center stage as an essential villain in a geopolitical morality play pitting the West against Islamo Fascists.

To displace facts with false beliefs — as with belief in the intelligence that induced the invasion of Iraq — momentum must be maintained for the storyline. Lose the plot (The Clash) and peace might break out. And those deceived may identify the deceiver.

Thus the timing of this latest WikiLeaks release. Its goal: to have us believe that it is not Tel Aviv but Washington that is the forefront of geopolitical duplicity and a source of Evil Doing.

Intelligence wars rely on mathematical models to anticipate the response of those targeted. With game theory algorithms, reactions become foreseeable — within an acceptable range of probabilities.

Control enough of the variables and outcomes become a mathematical inevitability.

The WikiLeaks Motive

Was the reaction to this latest WikiLeaks foreseeable? With exquisite timing, the U.S. was discredited with an array of revelations that called into question U.S. motives and put in jeopardy U.S. relations worldwide.

As the Italian Foreign Minister summarized: “The news released by WikiLeaks will change diplomatic relations between countries.”

The hard-earned trust of the Pakistanis disappeared overnight. Attempts to engage Iran were set back. The overall effect advanced The Clash storyline. If Washington could so badly misread North Korean intentions, then why is the U.S. to be trusted when it comes to a nuclear Iran?

This Wiki-catalyzed storyline pushed Israel off the front page in favor of Iran.

Even U.S. detainees at Guantanamo are again at issue, reigniting that shameful spectacle as a provocation for extremism and terror. U.S. diplomats will now be suspected of spying and lying. What nation can now trust Americans to maintain confidences?

In short, the risks increased for everyone.

Except Israel.

Should Israel launch an attack on Iran, Tel Aviv can cite WikiLeaks as its rationale. Though an attack would be calamitous from a human, economic and financial perspective, even that foreseeable outcome would be dwarfed by the enduring hatred that would ensue.

That too is foreseeable — from a game theory perspective of those marketing The Clash.

The effect of the U.S. invasion of Iraq was predictable. King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia foresaw it, noting simply that the U.S. invasion would “give Iraq to Iran as a gift on a golden platter.”

With the elimination of Sunni leader Saddam Hussein, the numerically dominant Shiites of Iraq were drawn into the political orbit of the Shiite-dominant Iran.

Game theorists focus their manipulation of affairs on their control of key variables. Then events take on a life all their own. The impact of this discrediting release was wide-ranging and fully foreseeable.

A Mossad case officer explained Israel’s success at waging war by way of deception: “Once the orchestra starts to play, we just hum along.”

These, after all, are the leading authorities in the field.

Jeff Gates is author of Guilt By Association, Democracy at Risk, and The Ownership Solution. Read other articles by Jeff, or visit Jeff’s website.

, December 1st, 2010

December 5, 2010