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Turkey is suspending military relations with Israel and will downgrade its diplomatic ties unless Israel apologizes for killing Turkish activists on a flotilla to Gaza last year, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said on Friday. Diplomatic relations between the two countries will be cut to second-secretary level and military accords are on hold, Davutoglu said at a news conference in Ankara today. The Israeli raid on vessels attempting to breach the blockade of the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip in May last year left nine Turkish citizens dead and generated international criticism.
Turkey, once Israel’s closest ally in the region, is demanding an apology and recompense for the victims’ families as a condition to repairing ties. Israel says the activists attacked its soldiers first and has refused to issue an apology.
“Israel has wasted all the chances it was given,” Davutoglu said. “Now, the Israeli government needs to face and pay for its illegal measures, and the first cost for seeing itself above international laws and disregarding the human conscience is Turkey’s friendship.”
Davutoglu was speaking ahead of the publication of a United Nations report into the killings, which was leaked to the New York Times before its official release today.
The “substantial force” used by Israel was “excessive and unreasonable,” according to the 105-page report. Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza was legal and it was entitled to use force, the UN said.
“Israel has wasted all the chances it was given,” Davutoglu said. “Now, the Israeli government needs to face and pay for its illegal measures, and the first cost for seeing itself above international laws and disregarding the human conscience is Turkey’s friendship.”
Davutoglu was speaking ahead of the publication of a United Nations report into the killings, which was leaked to the New York Times before its official release today.
The “substantial force” used by Israel was “excessive and unreasonable,” according to the 105-page report. Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza was legal and it was entitled to use force, the UN said.
Source: bloomberg.com
Davutoglu said some findings in the report were “political.” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had agreed with Turkey on the means to normalize relations after four rounds of meetings between officials of the two countries, Davutoglu said. The Israeli cabinet then blocked the agreement, he said.
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