Turkish Forum

Tag: Gaza

  • Abdullah, Gul to discuss Palestine, bilateral relations

    Abdullah, Gul to discuss Palestine, bilateral relations

    Posted by: “ALI BENLIOGLU” [email protected]

    Sun Feb 1, 2009 2:45 pm (PST)

    GHAZANFAR ALI KHAN / ARAB NEWS

    RIYADH: Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah will hold talks with Turkish President Abdullah Gul here tomorrow in a renewed bid to boost bilateral ties and exert more efforts to pressure Israel and the international community to resolve the crisis and restore peace in the Middle East.

    “The Turkish president, who will be accompanied by a 140-member delegation, will begin a four-day official visit to the Kingdom on Tuesday,” said Turkish Ambassador Naci Koru, here yesterday.

    The visit of Gul on the invitation of King Abdullah is very important keeping in view the fact that Turkey can play an influential role in eliminating divisions among the Palestinians, a move strongly supported by King Abdullah himself. Koru said the two leaders would discuss the whole gamut of bilateral, regional and international issues, including Gaza,
    Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan in their talks.

    Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan was given a hero’s welcome recently on his return to Istanbul after accusing Israel of “knowing very well how to kill” during a heated debate at the World Economic Forum. Moreover, Riyadh and Ankara have also renewed their commitments to boost bilateral ties, which have been progressively growing following the historic visit of King Abdullah to that country in 2006.

    Asked about any accord to be inked by the Kingdom and Turkey during the president’s visit, Koru said that Gul would also witness the signing of two major agreements. The accords include an agreement in maritime transport sector and another in the field of youth and sports. He said that Gul’s itinerary, which will take him to Riyadh and Jeddah, would be intense because of several official-level meetings and visits to Saudi academic institutions.

    The ambassador said that the Turkish president would also visit the Riyadhbased King Saud University, the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) and a military center near Al-Kharj, some 45 km south of Riyadh.

    He said that the Turkish president would address members of the Turkish community in Riyadh on Wednesday. He will visit the headquarters of the Organization of Islamic Conference on Feb. 5, the day he will arrive in Jeddah. The diplomat said that Riyadh and
    Ankara had forged closer ties on all fronts. The two-way trade exceeds $5 billion annually, representing a growth of 30 percent. Also, the tourism traffic has reported a massive increase from 22,000 Saudis visiting Turkey in 2001 to over 70,000 in 2008.

    Turkish Air is currently operating 28 flights a week from Saudi Arabia, compared to only a few flights per week four years back.

    This is in addition to the flights operated by Saudia and other Gulf carriers. In the field of agriculture, Riyadh and Ankara have mapped out a new strategy, which is now facilitating joint agriculture projects. Several Saudi and Turkish companies have come forward with proposals for joint projects, which need to be OK’d by regulatory authorities. In fact, the
    recent visit of Saudi Minister of Commerce and Industry Abdullah bin Zainal Alireza
    to Turkey cleared the decks for agriculture cooperation.

  • Will the AKP’s Foreign and Economic Policies Help in Local Elections?

    Will the AKP’s Foreign and Economic Policies Help in Local Elections?

    Will the AKP’s Foreign and Economic Policies Help in Local Elections?

    Publication: Eurasia Daily Monitor Volume: 6 Issue: 21
    February 2, 2009
    By: Saban Kardas

    Following his controversial remarks about Israel’s policies in Gaza made at the World Economic Forum (WEF) summit in Davos, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has refocused his attention on domestic politics. The municipal elections on March 29 are expected to be a major test of the policies of the Justice and Development Party (AKP). As the elections approach, the government is gearing its economic and foreign policies toward boosting the electoral performance of AKP candidates.

    In November Erdogan challenged his opponents, saying that if his party came in second in the elections, he would step down from the AKP chairmanship (Zaman, November 25). An earlier EDM analysis maintained that the March elections would be dominated by national political issues and the AKP might exploit its position as the incumbent to improve the chances of its candidates against their rivals (EDM, December 3).

    AKP representatives are capitalizing on Turkey’s new international profile to mobilize popular support. Deputy Speaker of Parliament Nevzat Pakdil told AKP party supporters that the coming elections were not just about voting for mayors or city council members but that the Turkish people would be asked to “approve Prime Minister Erdogan’s noble stance in Davos, which put Turkey on the map worldwide” (www.cnnturk.com, February 1).

    Indeed, most Turks view Erdogan’s walking out of the Davos meeting in protest over Israeli policies as a staunch defense of Turkey’s image and the rights of Palestinians in international forums (EDM, January 30). Erdogan’s team was successful in couching his policy in terms of conducting an independent foreign policy, and the Davos incident prompted the Turkish public to “rally ’round the flag.” Since the Turkish people historically have the impression of being treated as inferiors in international diplomacy, people from across the political spectrum expressed their support for Erdogan, welcoming him almost like a new national hero. Likewise, most party leaders affirmed Erdogan’s reaction, though expressing some reservations about his style.

    While Erdogan’s popularity has been boosted at home following the Davos incident, some critics charge that the government’s policies in the Middle East in general and Erdogan’s attitude in Davos in particular might be driven by populist concerns to secure victory in the elections. They also raise concerns that such short-sighted policies might undermine the country’s long-term interests (BirGun, Cumhuriyet, January 31).

    Analysts believe that that Davos incident will improve the AKP’s showing in the municipal elections. A survey conducted by the Metropoll polling company to measure the impact of the Davos incident revealed interesting results. As of January 31 Erdogan’s Davos position was supported by 78.3 percent of the respondents and Turkey’s Middle East policy by 82 percent. Compared with the results of Metropoll’s previous poll on January 24, the share of “those who approved the Prime Minister’s political style” increased from 55 to 74 percent. Moreover, when asked “what party would you vote for if there were an election this Sunday,” 49.3 percent said that they would vote for the AKP, in contrast to only 38.9 percent on January 24 (www.aktifhaber.com, January 31).

    The immediate impact of the Davos incident might have inflated the AKP’s support. Some analysts, including Tarhan Erdem of Konda polling company, believe that by the time of the elections the impact of Davos might have evaporated. Others, however, expect at least a 5 percent increase in the AKP’s vote in local elections. Observers point out in particular that through his Davos stance, Erdogan would probably undermine the performance of the Nationalist Action Party (MHP) and the Felicity Party (SP). The AKP is likely to prevent its nationalist and conservative voters from switching to the MHP and the SP, respectively, while attracting supporters from these two parties’ (www.haber3.com, January 31).

    After his abrupt return from Davos, Erdogan spent the weekend in Istanbul in a bid to throw his weight behind his party’s candidate for mayor of Istanbul, Kadir Topbas. He attended the opening ceremonies of several billion dollars worth of infrastructure investments in Istanbul, as well as AKP gatherings. He opened new lines extending Istanbul’s subway network and attended celebrations for the introduction of new ferries to Istanbul’s transportation fleet (Cihan Haber Ajansi, January 31; www.ntvmsnbc.com.tr, February 1).

    Speaking to large crowds, Erdogan touted the government’s successes in foreign policy, economy management, and tough bargaining with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). He accused the opposition, especially the leader of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), of populism and empty talk. He presented his own party as the only one that could “talk the talk and walk the walk,” noting improvements in the economic indicators.

    Although Erdogan promised that the AKP would not resort to populism, several of its policies and their timing raise questions about how sincere he was on that score. Providing free coal to low-income families has been a constant source of accusations that the AKP uses state money to solicit votes. Erdogan has responded to such criticism by claiming that the government was fulfilling the “social state’” requirement laid down in the constitution (Cihan Haber Ajansi, February 1).

    Erdogan also announced a price cut for natural gas by 17 percent for residences and 18 percent for industry effective on February 1 (www.cnnturk.com, February 1). In response to the falling energy prices on global markets, the government had been under pressure to reduce gas prices domestically. Although preparatory work on a formula to cut prices had been in progress for some time, the announcement of such a decision during the election campaign is significant.

    In a similar move, the Agricultural Minister announced that between January and March, the ministry would pay farmers half of the 5.026 billion lire ($3.023 billion) allocated for agricultural subsidies (www.dunyagazetesi.com.tr, January 31).

    It is perhaps unfair to charge the government with basing its economic and foreign policies on the short-term interest of winning the local elections; but undoubtedly the AKP skillfully capitalizes on its position as incumbent to the advantage of its own candidates, which raises the question: How level is the playing field for the opposition parties?

    https://jamestown.org/program/will-the-akps-foreign-and-economic-policies-help-in-local-elections/

  • Turkish PM Erdogan storms out of Davos over Gaza

    Turkish PM Erdogan storms out of Davos over Gaza

    with  comments


    A star is born.

    Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan quotes Avi Shlaim, reminds Shimon Peres of the sixth commandment (Thou shalt not kill), tells him ‘You are killing people’, and tells Davos he’s never coming again before storming off the stage.

    So first it was Venezuela, then Bolivia, and now Turkey. Have the Arab states no shame?

    Norman Finkelstein doesn’t think so. Here is what he told an audience in Bahrain: ‘The reaction from the Arab world was a total disgrace, a disgrace to the whole region and its people…What you showed in the last massacre in Gaza is that you have no shame at all…The most powerful reactions in the world came from Bolivia, Venezuela, Mauritania, Turkey and Qatar…There was more solidarity in South America than here’.

    Stormy debate in Davos over Gaza

    The Turkish prime minister has stormed out of a heated debate at the World Economic Forum in Davos over Israel’s offensive in the Gaza Strip.

    Recep Tayyip Erdogan walked out of the televised debate on Thursday, after the moderator refused to allow him to rebut the Israeli president’s justification about the war that left about 1,300 Gazans dead.

    Before storming out, Erdogan told Shimon Peres, the Israeli president: “You are killing people.”

    Peres told Erdogan during the heated panel discussion that he would have acted in the same manner if rockets had been falling on Istanbul.

    Moderator David Ignatius, a Washington Post columnist, then told Erdogan that he had “only a minute” to respond to a lengthy monologue by Peres.

    Erdogan said: “I find it very sad that people applaud what you said. There have been many people killed. And I think that it is very wrong and it is not humanitarian.”

    Ignatius twice attempted to finish the debate, saying, “We really do need to get people to dinner.”

    Erdogan then said: “Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. I don’t think I will come back to Davos after this.”

    ‘Understandable’

    Amr Moussa, the secretary-general of the Arab League and former Egyptian foreign minister, said Erdogan’s action was understandable.

    He said: “Mr Erdogan said what he wanted to say and then he left. That’s all. He was right,” adding that Israel “doesn’t listen”.

    The exchange took place on the second day of the summit, where business and political leaders have been discussing trade, financial regulation and global security.

    After grappling with a bleak global economy on the opening day, leaders attending the forum switched to debates on the new administration in the United States and unrest in the Middle East, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

    Kamal Nath, India’s trade minister, warned that the global economic crisis could fuel protectionism to safeguard national industries and jobs.

    Ban Ki-moon, the United Nations secretary-general, used the forum to announce the launch of an emergency appeal for $613m to help Palestinians recover from Israel’s attack on Gaza.

    Protectionist fears

    Nath said that India saw growing signs of protectionism and would respond with its own measures if its exporters were threatened “which will be good for no one.”

    He said: “We do fear this because one must recognise that at the heart of globalisation lies global competitiveness, and if governments are going to protect their non-competitive production facilities it’s not going to be fair trade.

    India has raised tariffs on steel to protect local producers, a measure trade experts say was aimed at China, which India does not regard as a market economy.

    The deepening economic crisis, and the failure to complete the World Trade Organisation’s long-running Doha round on freeing up global commerce, have raised fears that countries will block their partners’ exports to protect jobs at home.

    Such protectionism, if it led to tit-for-tat retaliation, would intensify the current crisis.

    Emerging economies

    The economies of India, China and Russia, which have been experiencing rapid growth in recent years, have taken precedence at the forum.

    Timothy Garton Ash, professor of European studies at Oxford University, said emerging markets are almost overshadowing the importance of the US economy.”What is really striking to me about this Davos, is the lack of a sense of a new beginning with Barack Obama,” he told Al Jazeera.

    “That is not what we’ve been hearing about in the last 24 hours, we’ve been hearing about China, about Russia, about India, about emerging economies, and that I think is a very significant fact.

    “It’s not just the American investment banks that have gone down, it’s America’s own soft power, and ability to lead that has been badly damaged by the crash.”

    Rachid Mohamed Rachid, Egypt’s minister of trade and industry, said there would be a rush towards emerging markets.

    “People understand today that there will not be growth in developed countries for a long time to come, the growth will continue to be in emerging markets, even more than before,” he told Al Jazeera.

    Gaza appeal

    The UN secretary-general said he had been deeply moved by his visit to Gaza and that he had given his word that the UN would help the Gazans in their hour of need.

    He said the appeal for fund covered the requirements of the UN and other aid organisations for the next six to nine months.Ban said it would help provide aid such as medical care and clean water and that an appeal for longer-term needs would be launched later.

    Asked about achieving peace in Gaza, Benjamin Netanyahu, the leader of Israel’s Likud party who was attending the forum, swiftly turned his answer to Iran, which he said was in a “100-yard dash” to get nuclear weapons.

    While he did not specify any planned military action, Netanyahu said if Iranian rulers were “neutralised”, the danger posed to Israel and others by Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in south Lebanon would be reduced.

    Netanyahu said the global financial meltdown was reversible but “what is not reversible is the acquisition of nuclear weapons by a fanatic radical regime”.

    Meanwhile, Manouchechr Mottaki, Iran’s foreign minister, who is also in Davos, said Tehran had taken note of the intention of Barack Obama, the US president, to withdraw troops from Iraq and believed he should also pull troops out of Afghanistan.

    Mottaki told a panel at the forum that Obama had “courage” to say which of the policies of George Bush, the former US president, he disagreed with and said his approach marked a “milestone” away from an era of “might equals right”.

    Turkish PM Erdogan storms out of Davos over Gaza

    Responses to ‘Turkish PM Erdogan storms out of Davos over Gaza’

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    1. Thank you for this. Excellent as usual.
      Ithink it is those shoes they are wearing….. First Muntadar threw his Turkish made shoes at Bush, and now the Turkish Prime Minister is head-butting with Perez. Yes Im sure he has his bought a new pair of Muntas :)))

      no2wars

      29 Jan 09 at 11:08 pm

    2. […] Read more here on PULSE.ORG […]

      It must be in those Turkish shoes they are wearing… « Ignited Identity

      29 Jan 09 at 11:11 pm

    3. Woohoo! Feels good!

      Dean

      29 Jan 09 at 11:28 pm

    4. Following the massacre on Google Trends Turkey was one of the countries which seemed most interested in Gaza. I’m sure he will have a lot of popular support for this at home.

      Well done Mr Erdogan!

      Dave

      30 Jan 09 at 12:31 am

    5. Shame on all the shameless arab leaders. They are cowards and puppets. Very soon they will all go to hell for their silence. Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyy Erdogan

      fred

      30 Jan 09 at 12:52 am

    6. […] Veo más en Pulse, en inglés. “A star is born“. Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)Israel destruye y deja sitio al […]

      Erdogan, Gaza, la dignidad de Turquía y Davos « Situjihadismo

      30 Jan 09 at 1:07 am

    7. Thank you, PM Erdogan, for standing up for what is right, for showing some spine and conscience when much of the rest of the world’s sham representatives stayed silent. Shame Shame Shame to most of the Arab “leaders”. Kudos to Türkiye.

      peoplesgeography

      30 Jan 09 at 1:12 am

    8. That was beautiful! Brought tears to my eyes and a lump in my throat. What a man. Erdoğan was heroic, and he made the others look like dickless little prigs at tea. Viva Türkiye! To think the EU gave them so much shit about membership. They should have been pleading.

      99

      30 Jan 09 at 1:37 am

    9. Al Jazeera was just showing Erdogan receive a hero’s welcome on his return. Crowds were gathered at the airport with Turkish and Palestinian flags to greet him. I bet the Kemalists are squirming.

      m.idrees

      30 Jan 09 at 1:49 am

    10. Turkey has some room to maneuver vis-a-vis Israel and the US, which is not speaking much of those Arab states. Erdogan will be showered with praise.

      How deeply ironic is it that those who are the most vocal on the Palestinian cause ARE not Arab but Turk, Lebanese Shiite and Persian?

      Joshua

      30 Jan 09 at 4:59 am

    11. A shame file of Arab journalists giving Israel a free pass from Iqbal Tamimi:

      peoplesgeography

      30 Jan 09 at 8:02 am

    12. Shame on American leaders. Even when america presidents were kicked on th face( by Sharon as reported by BBC during gaz conflict of 2002, albeit metaphorically) Americans could not react out of fear of Zionist lobby.Erdogan is man with back bone. a man of honour and courrage.

      Dr.Joji Cherian

      30 Jan 09 at 1:22 pm

    13. Muhammad,

      I just read over at Philip Weiss’s blog a rather more detailed description of what went over at Davos. I haven’t watched the entire episode unfold but I wonder what is your take on it?

      Nevertheless, Peres is one official on crack.

      Joshua

      31 Jan 09 at 4:56 am

    14. […] consistently and impartially applying rules to speakers. That debate in which Turkish PM Erdoğan walked out involved deliberately unequal times for speakers (see my calculations of actual speaking times in […]

      Peres’s Propaganda and Gaza Panel’s Biased Moderator « Silver Lining

      31 Jan 09 at 3:13 pm

  • Erdogan’s Outburst Could Damage Turkey’s International Standing

    Erdogan’s Outburst Could Damage Turkey’s International Standing
    February 01, 2009
    By Abbas Djavadi
    Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
    Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s fiery exchange with Israeli President Shimon Peres on January 29 at the World Economic Forum in Davos may earn him votes in Turkey’s March local elections or sympathy on the “Arab Street.”

    But it could well harm Turkey’s role as a bridge between the West and the Muslim world and as a would-be mediator between Israel and its Arab neighbors. Moreover, it won’t help Ankara’s relations with Washington or the country’s EU membership bid.

    Thousands gave Erdogan a hero’s welcome at Istanbul airport, hailing his pro-Palestinian outburst, and chanting: “Turkey is proud of you!” Turkey’s pro-government newspapers, as well as much of the Arab and Iranian media, reported positively on Erdogan’s appearance.

    But other commentators — including some in the Turkish media — are wondering how Erdogan’s outburst will affect Turkey’s international and regional standing.

    There have been attempts at damage control: Peres called Erdogan to say that, regardless of the dispute, he admired Turkey and the prime minister.

    And Erdogan reiterated that he stood by his criticism of the Gaza assault, but that he respected the Jewish people and his comments should not be interpreted as “anti-Semitic.” But the damage may be hard to reverse.

    Traditionally, Turkey has maintained good relations with both Israel and the Arab world. Last year, Ankara successfully tried to mediate Israeli-Syrian peace talks, despite a cool approach by the Bush administration.

    Turkey’s efforts under Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party (AKP) to liberalize the economy and make legislative reforms has earned it positive feedback from Brussels, which is considering Turkey’s EU membership, and from Washington, which is keen to see the success of a moderate and democratic Muslim country.

    Move Toward Muslim World

    But last year, Turkey took steps that many analysts saw as a shift away from the West and toward closer ties with the Muslim world and Russia.

    While freezing the internal reform process, Ankara reacted rather passively in criticizing Russia’s offensive in Georgia last summer and campaigned for a Caucasus Stability and Cooperation Pact, which had not been coordinated with the West and would include Russia.

    Erdogan himself called off Ankara’s mediation efforts in talks between Israel and Syria. He pointedly did not visit Israel as part of his Middle East visit in recent weeks.

    Resisting the overwhelming Western approach to consider Hamas and Hizballah as terrorist organizations, Ankara has argued that these groups represent parts of the Arab world that must be reckoned with and talked to instead of isolating and antagonizing them.

    On January 29, Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan reiterated his government’s position that Ankara is critical of Hamas but says it should be included in peace talks.

    Turkey was the first pro-Western Muslim country to invite a delegation of Hamas for an official visit to Ankara in 2006. And according to Murat Yetkin, writing in the liberal “Radikal” newspaper, Erdogan met with foreign journalists ahead of the Davos debate with Peres and noted that U.S. President Barack Obama would be better advised to redefine terrorist organizations in the Middle East and follow a new policy based on those new definitions.

    It appears, though, that Erdogan’s outburst was about more than just political calculation and perhaps reflected his bossy and undiplomatic style, triggered by his anger over Gaza.

    Turkish journalists close to the AKP report that Erdogan has been boiling with anger since Israel’s Gaza offensive. “I have been watching Erdogan since the late 1980s,” wrote Turkish analyst Rushen Chakir in the daily “Vatan,” “seeing him angry many times.” “From the point of diplomacy, I was certainly surprised. But [the fiery appearance at Davos] was typically Erdogan as I know him.”

    In his Davos outburst, the Turkish prime minister used the informal form of the word “you” (sen) instead of the more respectful “siz,” something he does when addressing the opposition in the Turkish parliament.

    His style of talking loudly, in a bossy and didactic tone, with little respect for the political opponent, has been a subject of both concern and humor among the Turkish people. Some critics refer to him as the “cowboy of Kasimpasha,” the area of Istanbul where Erdogan grew up. His style is shared by Erdogan’s main political opponent, Deniz Baykal, who heads the opposition and secular Republican People’s Party in parliament.

    But in a time of economic crisis, ever-less-promising talks on EU accession, a shaky relationship with Washington, and an increasing need and opportunity for a negotiated peace in the Middle East under President Obama, Turkey cannot afford such emotional outbursts.

    The country deserves leaders who care not just about getting votes domestically but can also regain diplomatically the international support the AKP received when it was elected in 2007.

    Abbas Djavadi is associate director of broadcasting at RFE/RL. The views expressed in this commentary are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect those of RFE/RL

  • DAVOS & ERDOGAN IB DEPKA FILES

    DAVOS & ERDOGAN IB DEPKA FILES

    Summary of DEBKAfile’s Exclusive Articles in Week Ending Jan. 28, 2009
    Gaza ceasefire too fragile to acclaim end of warfare
    DEBKAfile Exclusive Analysis     24 Jan.: Israeli leaders insist the IDF left Hamas seriously crippled – which is undeniable; but the second half of the proposition that Hamas had “lost its appetite for striking Israel targets for a very long time” – is over-optimistic, give the considerations listed here:

    1. Hamas is in no state to reach a clear decision because its leadership is divided on this very issue.
    The Gazan faction headed by prime minister Ismail Haniya would accept Egypt’s proposals for shelving armed warfare for now and healing the quarrel the Palestinian Authority chairman, Mahmoud Abbas, whereas Hamas’ Damascus faction led by Khaled Meshaal rejects any terms but the unconditional reopening of Gaza’s crossing and an end to its blockade.

    2. Jerusalem is beholden to Cairo as the first major Arab power to support a battle with an Arab force, and was thus bound to respect its wishes to teach Hamas – and Iran – a harsh lesson but stop short of finally crushing the Palestinian extremists.

    3. Until last week, Egypt enjoyed solid Saudi backing. But then, at the Arab League summit in Kuwait on Jan. 19, the Saudi king changed face and decided to appease the Iran-led radical Arab camp.

    4. American and Egypt mechanisms to staunch Hamas’ access to smuggled Iranian and Syrian arms are still tentative.

    This and the divisions in the Arab world have encouraged Tehran to persist in rearming Hamas and the Hamas-Damascus faction to maintain its intransigent posture, a contest which crackles with inflammatory potential.

    Egypt cracks the whip for Hamas in long-term truce talks
    DEBKAfile Exclusive Report         25 Jan.: Egyptian intelligence minster Gen. Omar Suleiman gave Hamas no leeway when its delegation began long-term truce talks for Gaza in Cairo Sunday, Jan. 25. Accept our terms, he said or take your chances on a new Israel government after the Feb. 10 general election.

    Here are the conditions Cairo put before the Palestinian Islamist organization:

    1. Hamas must pledge to halt all smuggling into the Gaza Strip, including arms.

    2. and 3. It must accept a long-term truce for Gaza and a half-kilometer off limits zone behind the border…

    4. Hamas would have no access to the Gaza crossing facilities.

    5. The verbal abuse of Egypt must stop forthwith.

    Suleiman made it clear that financial aid for rebuilding the Gaza Strip was contingent on Hamas burying the hatchet with Mahmoud Abbas and accepting a power-sharing deal with his Palestinian Authority.

    Iranian arms ship intercepted by US warship has sealed double holds
    DEBKAfile Exclusive Report     25 Jan.: The Iranian ship boarded by a US Navy Coast Guard team on the Red Sea last week before it could smuggle arms to Hamas is now disclosed by DEBKAfile’s military sources to have tried to trick the searchers by enclosing its rocket cargo in secret compartments behind layers of steel.

    The Iranian freighter Nochegorsk was intercepted in the Bab al-Mandeb Straits last week by the new US Combined Task Force 151. The Americans decided not to give the Israeli Navy a chance to seize the vessel and tow it to Eilat for fear of a Tehran ultimatum to Jerusalem sparking Iranian attacks on Israeli naval craft patrolling the Gulf of Aden and Red Sea.

    Iran maintains two warships in those waters as well as a military presence in the Eritrean port of Assab.
    The US and Egyptian governments are in a fix. To break the Iranian ship’s holds open and expose the rockets destined for Hamas, the facilities of a sizeable port are needed. It would have to be Egyptian because the other coastal nations – Eritrea, Sudan and Somalia – are hostile or controlled by pirates.
    And the US and Egypt are hesitant about precipitating a full-blown armed confrontation with Iran. The new Barack Obama administration is rather set on smoothing tiesTehran through diplomatic engagement.

    The option of towing it to a Persian Gulf port would be opposed by the Gulf emirates hosting US bases.
    Moreover, Tehran would be close enough to mount a naval commando operation to scuttle the ship before it was searched. Therefore, the US government is expected to let the Iranian arms ship sail through the Suez Canal out to the Mediterranean for lack of other options.

    Two Guantanamo inmates on al Qaeda video25 Jan.: The two men reaffirmed their dedication to jihad on a video posted in an al Qaeda website shortly after President Barack Obama signed a directive to close the Guantanamo Bay prison camp in Cuba within a year. One was a Saudi identified as Saeed Shihri, one of al Qaeda’s top leaders in Yemen.

    DEBKAfile adds: He was transferred to Saudi Arabia in 2007. Against a pledge not to revert to terrorism, Shahri won a big Saudi grant for his “rehabilitation.” He did indeed build a big house and take a wife, but on the quiet resumed his affiliation with al Qaeda.

    The second man on the video, Abu al-Hareth Muhammed al-Oufi, is an al Qaeda field commander. Another 245 prisoners await their release in the camp. According to the US Defense Department, as many as 61 former Guantanamo Bay detainees, about 11 percent of 520 inmates transferred or released so far, have rejoined al Qaeda’s active ranks.

    Hamas wartime rockets missed US anti-Iranian missile radar near Beersheba
    DEBKA-Net-Weekly Exclusive     26 Jan.: Following orders from Tehran, the Palestinian Hamas used the cover of the 22-day Gaza conflict to aim rockets at the American Forward-Based X-band Transportable (FBX-T) anti-missile radar system lodged at Israel’s big Nevatim air base east of Beersheba, DEBKA-Net-Weekly disclosed lat week.

    Destruction of the FBX-T, which was installed last November to intercept incoming Iranian Shehab-3 ballistic missiles, would have crowned Hamas’ offensive with success. But they missed.

    Cont. Next Column



    		 Our military sources reveal that the American X-band radar, which can track the path of any missile fired in the Middle East, worked hard during Operation Cast Lead, feeding the Israeli command with accurate advance information on the missiles and rockets aimed from Gaza at southern Israel and their trajectories.

    It also tracked the rockets fired twice at Nahariya and Kiryat Shemona from Lebanon and kept watch for possible missile action from Syria and Iran.
    But the American radar facility at Nevatim also kept Washington abreast of Israel’s aerial, naval and missile activity in the course of the conflict.

    Major Israeli reprisal pending for Palestinian roadside bomb which killed Israeli soldier 27 Jan.: An Israeli soldier was killed and three others injured, one seriously, Tuesday, Jan. 27, by a large roadside bomb detonated from Gaza against a routine Israeli military patrol near the Kissufim crossing.

    Eight hours later, an Israeli air strike killed a Hamas operative involved in the attack riding a motorbike near Khan Younis. Defense minister Ehud Barak warned Israel would respond to the Palestinians’ unacceptable breach of the ceasefire.

    Our sources say Hamas initiated the clash for the benefit of US president Barack Obama’s Middle East envoy George Mitchell the day before he arrives for his first visit to the region. The time-lag between the Palestinian attack and Israel’s response exposes Jerusalem’s commitment to consult with Washington and Cairo before taking further action in Gaza. The understandings with the US, reached by Israel’s war troika, the prime minister, defense minister and foreign minister Tzipi Livni, are proving now too ungainly and unclear to fit the realities of Gaza. They tie Israel down for launching the necessary response for stamping hard on Hamas’ war initiatives.

    Hamas is determined to belie Israel’s claim of restored deterrence strength from Operation Cast Lead and assertion that Hamas would need a very long time to revert to violence.

    US military chief confirms interception of Gaza-bound Iranian arms ship28 Jan.: Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm, Mike Mullen said Jan. 28 the US Navy had intercepted a Cypriot-flagged ship in the Red Sea last week and searched it with the captain’s permission for Iranian arms bound for the Gaza Strip.

    The Iranian arms ship on its way to the Gaza Strip for Hamas was first revealed exclusively by DEBKAfile on Jan. 20 and tracked further on Jan. 23 and Jan. 25.

    The Navy had done all it could do legally but was not authorized to seize the weapons,” said Mullen, adding he would like authority to act in such cases.

    DEBKAfile’s military sources disclose that it is bound for Latakia, where it will dock alongside the Russian guided missile destroyer Admiral Chabanenko.

    In the Suez Canal, the Iranian vessel’s captain called Tehran for instructions and was told to proceed to this Syrian port. Upon entering the Mediterranean on Jan. 26, the Iranian ship was blocked by Israel missile ships from access to the shores of Gaza.

    Israeli air force bombs Philadelphi corridor in three waves 28 Jan.: Israeli towns and communities within rocket and missile range of the Gaza Strip were once again on tense alert after the Israeli air force struck the Philadelphi corridor border tunnels before dawn Wednesday, Jan. 28. Punishment was promised Hamas after a large roadside bomb blew up an Israel border patrol jeep outside Gaza early Tuesday, killing one Israel soldier and injuring three, one seriously, one week into the Gaza ceasefire.

    Several smuggling tunnels caved in under the aerial bombardment. Barack Obama’s Middle East envoy George Mitchell may find himself landing Wednesday in the middle of another Gaza war.

    Two Qassam missiles aimed at Sderot early Thursday shatter ceasefire 29 Jan.: Israeli air raids struck a Hamas target in Khan Younes, inflicting at least 10 Palestinian casualties Thursday, Jan. 29, after two missiles were aimed at Sderot from Gaza early Thursday, Jan. 29.

    Overnight, the Israeli Air force struck a missile workshop in the southern Gaza town of Rafah.
    DEBKAfile’s military circles report that in the 48 hours since a roadside bomb from Gaza killed an Israeli soldier and injured three, Hamas has reverted to its tit-for-tat cycle in an effort to demonstrate who makes the rules.

    I n expectation of a major Gaza flare-up, defense minister Ehud Barak canceled his trip this week to Washington for talks with US defense secretary Robert Gates. Wednesday, as Barack Obama’s Middle East envoy George Mitchell met with Israeli leaders in Jerusalem, Hamas fired two Qassam missiles and several mortar rounds into southern Israel for the first time since the 22-day conflict was halted by ceasefires.

    In Damascus, meanwhile Hamas and other radical Palestinian leaders rejected Cairo’s plan for a long-term truce, demanding the reopening of all the Gaza crossings first.

    But Hamas’ rejection has taken Cairo’s diplomatic initiative back to square one. The Egyptians believe that a good military hiding by Israel will bring the Palestinian Islamist extremists back to the negotiation table in a more reasonable frame of mind.

    Turkish premier storms out of Davos after run-in with Israeli president

    29 Jan.: At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan Thursday, Jan. 29, reproached Israeli president Shimon Peres over the Gaza offensive, saying “You kill people,” continuing the abuse he has leveled against Israel in recent weeks.

    Israeli president Shimon Peres said, raising his voice, Israel’s 22-day offensive was launched in reaction to eight years of rocket fire. Turning to Erdogan, who had said Israel had made Gaza an “open air prison,” Peres asked: “Why did they fire rockets? There was no siege against Gaza. There was never a day of starvation in Gaza.”

    The former Norwegian prime minister, Khell Magne Bondevik, said he had never seen Shimon Peres so passionate. I think he felt Israel was being attacked by so many in the international community. He felt isolated.”
  • Hamas official declare victory in Gaza rallies

    Hamas official declare victory in Gaza rallies


    A Turkish flag is seen as Palestinians attend a rally in support of Hamas in Gaza city, Friday Jan. 30, 2009. Turkish prime minister Tayyip Erdogan is winning praise from Gazans after his public spat with Israeli President Shimon Peres over Israel’s Gaza offensive. (AP Photo/Hatem Moussa) (Hatem Moussa – AP)

    Pictures of Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan are seen during a rally in support of Hamas in Gaza city, Friday, Jan. 30, 2009. Erdogan is winning praise from Gazans after his public spat with Israeli President Shimon Peres over Israel’s Gaza offensive. (AP Photo/Hatem Moussa) (Hatem Moussa – AP)

    By BEN HUBBARD
    The Associated Press
    Friday, January 30, 2009; 1:30 PM

    GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — More than 5,000 Hamas supporters rallied in Gaza on Friday, as a leader of the Islamic militant group emerged from hiding to declare victory in the 23-day Israeli offensive that devastated much of the Palestinian territory.

    Hamas lawmaker Khalil al-Hayeh appeared in public for the first time since the war’s start on Dec. 27 and remained defiant despite Hamas’ heavy losses.

    “We thank God when we see our houses bombed and our institutions destroyed, but our people say yes to the resistance and yes to martyrdom for the sake of God,” al-Hayeh said, standing in front of the damaged Palestinian parliament building. “We say proudly that Gaza has won the war, the resistance has won the war, and Hamas has won the war.”

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    Israeli launched its offensive to stop eight years of near-daily militant rocket fire from Gaza at southern Israeli towns. Nearly 1,300 Palestinians were killed in the fighting, about half of them civilians, according to the Palestinian Center for Human Rights. Thirteen Israelis were also killed, three of them civilians.

    The aerial and ground offensive ended with a tentative cease-fire on Jan. 18. Hamas has since resumed its rocket fire toward Israel.

    On Friday, the crowd waved red and white Turkish flags next to green Hamas banners. Al-Hayeh called Turkish Prime Minister Recip Tayyip Erdogan “a hero” for criticizing Israel over the Gaza offensive during a panel discussion Thursday at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

    Erdogan stalked off the stage after telling Israeli President Shimon Peres: “You kill people.”

    Demonstrators burned and stomped on posters of Peres and other Israeli leaders and held up placards with Erdogan’s picture on them.

    Al-Hayeh repeated previous declarations that Hamas would not agree to a long-term cease-fire with Israel that does not include lifting the 18-month blockade on the tiny, impoverished seaside strip and opening its border crossings with Israel.

    In London, a European Union spokesman, John Clancy, said Israeli restrictions on humanitarian aid flows into Gaza are “unacceptable” and must be lifted. He said about 120 supply trucks are currently entering Gaza each day, compared to about 500 in 2007.

    Clancy said the EU had asked Israel to allow its aid workers to be fast-tracked into the territory. It currently takes about five days for a worker to get into Gaza, and the EU wants to shorten that to 48 hours.

    Al-Hayeh also said Hamas would only release captured Israeli soldier Gilad Schalit in exchange for Hamas members imprisoned in Israel.