Category: Middle East & Africa

In Israel, both coalition and opposition urge remembrance of Armenian genocide

Knesset members speak out despite the government’s efforts to achieve a detente with Turkey.

By Jonathan Lis | Apr.23, 2013 | 8:17 PM | 10

A World War Two veteran attends a ceremony marking the anniversary of the 1915 mass killings of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire, in Yerevan April 24, 2010. Photo by Reuters

Both coalition and opposition members Tuesday commemorated the Armenian genocide by the Ottoman Turks, despite Israel’s efforts to patch things up with Turkey over the raid on the Gaza flotilla three years ago in which eight Turkish nationals died.

During and after World War I, between 1 million and 1.5 million Armenians died; the anniversary of the killings is marked this week. Because of Jerusalem’s past close relations with Ankara, the government has never officially recognized the events as genocide.

“How many of us are really familiar with the Armenian holocaust? Why are we indifferent when Turkey does not take responsibility?” said MK Ayelet Shaked (Habayit Hayehudi). “We must confront our silence and that of the world in the face of such horrors. No country stood by the Armenians. No one cared about the genocide in Rwanda.”

MK Israel Hasson (Kadima) called on his colleagues to support the Armenian people. “We’ve formed an Israeli-Armenian friendship association, and I call on any MKs who want to express solidarity to join it, even if the government has difficulty formulating a statement.”

MK Reuven Rivlin (Likud), a former Knesset speaker, said “Turkey is and will be an ally of Israel. The talks with Turkey are understandable and even necessary from a strategic and diplomatic perspective. But those circumstances cannot justify the Knesset ignoring the tragedy of another people.”

MK Zahava Gal-On (Meretz) referred to the reconciliation talks with Turkey as “an important and strategic process that I wholeheartedly support, but it needn’t influence recognition of the massacre of the Armenian people. It’s not that we have to either recognize the genocide or have relations with Turkey; we can do both. The link between the two harms Israel and its foreign relations.”

Ofir Akunis, a deputy minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, said that “as Jews and Israelis we have a moral obligation to remember human tragedies. One of them was the massacre of the Armenian people. The State of Israel has never denied these terrible events.”

According to Akunis, “Investigating the related events must be done through open debate, not by political declarations.”

In the end, the MKs decided that the Knesset House Committee would choose which committee would conduct a broader debate on the issue.

April 24, 2013
Kerry compares Boston and Mavi Marmara victims

By TOVAH LAZAROFF, GIL HOFFMAN

US Secretary of State compares the 2 tragedies saying he has “deep feelings when violence happens”; MK Shaked: Kerry should go to Chechnya.

People comfort each other after deadly twin blasts at the Boston Marathon, April 15, 2013. Photo: Reuters

US Secretary of State John Kerry compared the victims of the Boston Marathon bombing to the nine Turkish activists killed by the IDF as they tried to break Gaza’s naval blockade, at a press conference in Istanbul on Sunday.

“I know it’s an emotional issue with some people,” Kerry said of the Mavi Marmara deaths. “I particularly say to the families of people who were lost in the incident: We understand these tragedies completely and we sympathize with them.”

He then added, “And nobody – I mean, I have just been through the week of Boston and I have deep feelings for what happens when you have violence and something happens and you lose people that are near and dear to you. It affects a community, it affects a country,” Kerry said. “We’re very sensitive to that.”

Senior Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, Justice Minister Tzipi Livni, Energy and Water Minister Silvan Shalom, Economy and Trade Minister Naftali Bennett, and Deputy Foreign Minister Ze’ev Elkin all made a point of not responding to Kerry’s comparison on Monday.

High-ranking diplomatic officials in Jerusalem said they believed Kerry was misunderstood and he was really only trying to show empathy with the people of Turkey on a national level. The officials accused the press of deliberately trying to twist what Kerry had said.

But Knesset members from across the political spectrum condemned Kerry’s comparison and said they found it extremely offensive.

Since the 2010 raid, Israel has released video footage showing activists beating the soldiers with metal sticks and chairs as they descended onto the boat. The IDF said that metal rods, improvised sharp metal objects, sticks and clubs, 5 kg. hammers, firebombs and gas masks were found on board the boat.

It said that these weapons were used against the naval soldiers and that seven soldiers were injured. It added that activists had also taken two pistols from the soldiers.

The relatives of the nine Turkish activists, including one dual American citizen, have argued that their loved ones were killed in cold blood as they sailed to offer humanitarian assistance to the people in Gaza.

The three victims of the bombing in Boston were killed last week after two brothers with ties to Chechnya exploded two bombs at the finish line of the America’s oldest marathon. The victims had gone to watch a race that attracts athletes from across the United States and around the globe. Among the 176 people injured were runners who used the marathon to raise money for humanitarian causes.

“He completely distorted reality and turned white into black and black into white,” said Labor MK Nachman Shai. “How can he make such a comparison? In Boston, terrorists killed civilians. On the Mavi Marmara ship, terrorists were killed.”

Bayit Yehudi faction chairwoman Ayelet Shaked went further, saying that Kerry mixed up the assailants and the victims.

“According to what Kerry said, he should fly now to Chechnya to pay a condolence call to the parents of the poor terrorists in Boston,” Shaked said.

Deputy Defense Minister Danny Danon, who in the past would have been the first to slam the Obama administration, continued his trend of more measured responses since he was appointed to his new post.

“It is never helpful when a moral equivalency is made confusing terrorists with their victims,” Danon said.

“As our American friends were made all too aware once again last week, the only way to deal with the evils of terrorism it to wage an unrelenting war against its perpetrators wherever they may be.”

April 24, 2013
Where Is The $80 million Gold From Ghana Seized In Turkey?

Turkey stopped cargo freight flier with Gold from Ghana. Turkey is gradually becoming the busiest hub for gold shipments to the Middle East. The Turkish authorities gave four days in Istanbul to a freighter laden with 1.5 tons (worth $80 million) of gold from Ghana. The plane landed around early January at the airport Ataturk in Istanbul and was arrested for four days with 1.5 tons of gold on board by the authorities.

The Turkish fleet origin, an Airbus A300, cargo aircraft was chartered for transporting Gold from Ghana to Dubai. Other media reported that the machine had come from Algeria. For safety reasons, the Turkish authorities (customs) sealed the aircraft, since the crew had no genuine documents covering their freight on board, they were requested by the Turkish authorities to present required requisite documents.

Not quiet long ago, the Turkish Government was repeatedly criticised and advised from the international community to be watchdogs since large quantities of gold from Turkey in the Islamic Republic were delivered in the past few months despite an international embargo against the Iran.

The Geological Survey Department (GSD) has absolved itself from blame in the on-ongoing investigations into the seizure of an aircraft in Istanbul, Turkey, allegedly carrying 1.5 tonnes (worth $80 million) of gold originating from Ghana and destined for the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The GSD Director, John Agyei Duodu insists his outfit only carried out laboratory analysis on mineral samples and not on gold bars, when speaking to Peacefmonline.com in an interview. The Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) carried investigation into how a shipment described as mineral samples could turn to gold bullion. It will be recalled that sections of the media reported on the supposed gold bars seized at Istanbul-Turkey due to lack of documents. It was widely conjectured that the said shipment was payment by Ghana government in respect of some financial transaction with the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Government, in two separate responses, denied any involvement in the use of gold to settle any transaction with the Government of Iran. Following that denial, President John Dramani Mahama directed that the matter be investigated by the security agencies. Even though president John Dramani Mahama had to rush to Turkey, we were later told he went there to commission Ghana Embassy in Istanbul/Turkey.

Before the BNI could come out with its initial findings, sections of the media published that the US$80 million supposed gold bars, have mysteriously changed into thirty (30) boxes of mineral samples weighing 1,500kgs.

The publication further accused state officials at the GSD and Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority of collusion for the detained Gold from Ghana. The publications also questioned why and how state officials at the GSD, Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority, Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry and SG-SSB Bank Limited, with the speed of light, hurriedly prepared and signed for “Omanye” Gold Mining Limited, the company at the centre of the whole DEAL on December 31, 2012, to enable them haul the 30 boxes of so-called mineral samples to Dubai.

The publications further sought to malign the integrity of the GSDsaying the claim on the certificate that the 30 boxes of minerals for laboratory analysis only and are of no commercial value could be a clever means by the Geological Survey Department to outwit tax officials because the regulations mandates Bank of Ghana to collect tax from both the buyers and the sellers.

The absence of proper documentation on the said gold, according to the publication citing experts’ opinion, is said to have accounted for the lie that the gold was on its way to Iran to settle Ghana’s bilateral transactions, leading to the Turkish officials seizing the consignment on board the cargo aircraft chartered from Tripoli-Libya.

Now, figures here, figures there, investigations yesterday, investigations today and investigations tomorrow, fact and the question is! where is the 1,5 tonnes of the Ghanaian Gold, worth $80 million which was temporarily confiscated in Turkey? Was is really a DEAL meant to settle (Ghana) debt in Iran or where ever, a THEFT or an act of CORRUPTION?

FRANCIS TAWIAH (Duisburg – Germany)

via Where Is The $80 million Gold From Ghana Seized In Turkey? | Feature Article 2013-04-23.

April 24, 2013
Turkey Denies Talking with Israel About Iran Strike

Turkey dismisses report suggesting that an Israeli delegation would hold talks about using a Turkish airbase to train for a attack in Iran.

By Elad Benari

F-15 Fighter Jet

Flash 90

Turkey dismissed on Sunday evening a news report suggesting that an Israeli delegation set to arrive in Ankara on Monday would hold talksabout Israel using a Turkish airbaseto train for a possible attack on Iranian nuclear facilities.

The report, which appeared in theSunday Times, said that NationalSecurity Council chairman Yaakov Amidror would offer missiles and advanced technology to Turkey in exchange for Ankara’s allowing the Israeli Air Force to use a base located approximately 1,000 miles from the border with Iran.

However, a Turkish official denied the report, telling the Turkish daily Hurriyet, “The report seems to have explained a hypothesis.”

“We have already said that the normalization of our relations will be step by step. Talking about the prospects of a military cooperation at this stage would be irrelevant. We are not there yet. We haven’t even yet appointed a new ambassador to Israel,” said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Amidror will head an Israeli delegation to Ankara that will begin discussions over compensation to families of those who died in clashes during the 2010 Mavi Marmara incident.

The Sunday Times report alleged that in addition to the Marmara talks, Amidror was also assigned to try to resuscitate a 1996 agreement between Jerusalem and Ankara which allowed the Israeli Air Forces to train in Turkish airspace and use the Akıncı airbase.

Turkey recently delayed the beginning of talks with Israel over compensation for the Marmara flotilla.

The talks were delayed until Monday because Turkey’s Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc had to accompany Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on a trip to Kazakhstan on the originally scheduled date.

Arinc, who will lead the negotiating on behalf of Turkey, told the Hebrew-languageNRG news site last week that “Turkey anticipates full restoration of relations with Israel. I will lead the Turkish delegation for negotiations with Israel next week on restitution for the nine Mavi Marmara victims.”

Tags: Turkey ,Mavi Marmara ,Iran Strike ,Iran Nuclear threat ,Turkey-Israel relations

April 24, 2013
John Kerry asks Turkish leader to delay Gaza trip

John Kerry asks Turkish leader to delay Gaza trip

The secretary of State also acknowledges frustration with the slow delivery of U.S. aid to Syrian rebels.

By Paul Richter, Los Angeles TimesApril 21, 2013, 9:22 p.m.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu shows U.S. Secretary of State John F. Kerry the skyline of Istanbul before the start of a meeting in the Turkish city. (Hakan Goktepe / AFP/Getty Images / April 21, 2013)

ISTANBUL, Turkey — Secretary of State John F. Kerryurged Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to delay a planned visit to the Gaza Strip, saying it could jeopardize efforts to restart Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.

Ending a two-day visit to Istanbul, Kerry told reporters Sunday that he believed that “it would be more helpful [for Erdogan] to wait for the right circumstance…. We’re trying to get off the ground, and we would like to see the parties with as little outside distraction as possible.”

He said this was one of a number of “important reasons” why Erdogan shouldn’t go on the trip, and implied that the Turkish leader hadn’t made a final decision on the plan.

Kerry met with Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and other Turkish officials, but didn’t see Erdogan.

Both the Israelis and Palestinian Authority PresidentMahmoud Abbas have voiced unhappiness with Erdogan’s plans.

Erdogan has been pushing for Israel to ease its partial embargo on the entry of goods into Gaza, and has announced plans to visit the impoverished seaside zone in the next few weeks.

The move could complicate efforts to begin a rapprochement between Turkey and Israel. Former allies, they have been estranged since Israeli soldiers killed Turks when a Turkish flotilla sought to breach the naval blockade of Gaza in 2010.

At President Obama’s urging, Israeli Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu formally apologized to Turkey last month. An Israeli delegation is scheduled to meet with Turkish officials Monday to discuss compensation for the families of the Turks who were killed.

On another subject, Kerry acknowledged some frustration with the slow delivery of U.S. aid to Syrian rebels, but said U.S. officials have made progress in speeding deliveries, and insisted future aid will arrive more quickly. Aid that Kerry announced in February hasn’t yet been delivered to rebel forces, and it’s unclear how long it will take for delivery of a new round of nonlethal aid that Kerry announced at an international meeting in Istanbul on Saturday.

Kerry promised he would “press as hard as I can to make sure it’s a matter of weeks — it has to happen quickly.”

Rebel fighters have complained that the United States hasn’t given them enough military help, and the aid it has approved has been slow in coming. In late February, Kerry announced that the United States would provide $60 million in food and medicine, in a package that for the first time would be sent directly to rebel fighting units. That amount will now be more than doubled, to $123 million.

Kerry said it is still unclear what kind of gear will be bought with the new money. He said the Syrian opposition’s Supreme Military Council would be given its choice of goods, which may include body armor, night-vision goggles and armored vehicles.

U.S. officials say they remain opposed to providing arms, partly because they fear weaponry could end up in the hands of the religious extremists who are a growing part of rebel forces. But other U.S. allies, including Qatar and Saudi Arabia, are funneling arms to the opposition fighters.

April 23, 2013
Britain and France renew efforts to lift arms embargo on Syrian rebels
Britain and France renew efforts to lift arms embargo on Syrian rebels

Britain and France will renew their attempts to lift the EU arms embargo on the Syrian rebels after western allies accused President Bashar al-Assad of using chemical weapons.

Members of the free Syrian Army during an attack against Syrian government forces in Aleppo Photo: AP

By Richard Spencer, Istanbul

7:03PM BST 21 Apr 2013

William Hague, the foreign secretary, said the two would take a “strong stance” in talks with EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg on Monday. The pledge came after Germany, a major stumbling block to arming the rebels, significantly softened its position on the issue.

Britain wants to widen the range of aid it is sending to the opposition, though it is not considering sending weapons “yet”. “We are in favour of getting more assistance to the Syrian National Council (SNC),” Mr Hague said. “There are many ways in which we can do that.”

The German foreign minister, Guido Westerwelle, said he would accept the lifting of the arms embargo if other countries pushed for it. He said that if “one or two countries” thought there was no risk that arms would fall into the wrong hands, he would “respect” their decision.

Western ministers and opposition leaders met in Istanbul on Sunday and agreed that all aid to the opposition would be channelled through the SNC’s military wing.

The United States also announced a doubling in its aid, from $127 million to $250 million.

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  17 Apr 2013
In return, the SNC published a statement of principles that included pledges not to use chemical weapons, to renounce “terrorism and extremism”, and to respect the rights of minorities, including the Alawite sect from which the Assad family comes.

“Our revolution and vision are for all Syrians,” its statement said. “There is no room for sectarianism or discrimination on ethnic, religious, linguistic or any other grounds. Universal human rights principles will apply to all Syrians, men and women.”

Mr Hague last week said there was “credible evidence” of chemical weapons use in Syria, with a number of incidents where diluted chemicals appear to have been deployed.

President Barack Obama has made use of chemical weapons a “red line” which would trigger outside intervention. While officials do not believe that red line has been met in terms of conclusive evidence or scale of use, the western allies made a stronger statement than before on President Assad’s refusal to allow in a United Nations fact-finding mission.

“Such an approach suggests the responsibility of the regime,” said the statement, by the Friends of Syria group in which the UK, US, France, Saudi Arabia and Qatar are all prominent. “If these allegations are proven to be correct there will be severe consequences.”

Ministers fear the situation inside the country is deteriorating fast, with Syrian regime forces recently making tactical gains in the Damascus suburbs and near the Lebanese border around the town of Qusayr with heavy loss of life.

Rebel activists accused the regime of killing civilians as well as scores of fighters as it swept through the towns of Jdeidat Artouz and Jdeidat al-Fadl near Damascus.

The risk of the war spreading into Syria’s neighbours was highlighted when a rebels accused Lebanon’s Shia militia Hizbollah of fighting alongside Assad troops, and fired shells on Shia towns inside Lebanon in retaliation.

Britain, France and the United States want the rebels to get enough arms to turn the balance of the war, but not so as to win a quick victory, rather wanting them to force President Assad to negotiate a “managed” transition.

“The chances of a political solution at present are negligible,” a western diplomatic source said. “The best way of opening up more chances quickly is changing the balance of power on the ground to put more pressure on the regime.”
April 22, 2013