Turkish warships will protect Gaza aid convoys: PM

[walaalkis]

(AFP)DUBAI — Turkish warships will escort the country's aid vessels bound for the Gaza Strip, protecting them from Israeli ships, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said late Thursday.

 

"Turkish warships will be tasked with protecting the Turkish boats bringing humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip," Erdogan told Al Jazeera television, according to an Arab-language translation of his comments in Turkish.

 

"From now on, we will no longer allow these boats to be the targets of attacks by Israel, like the one on the Freedom flotilla, because then Israel will have to deal with an appropriate response," he warned.

 

Erdogan was referring to the clash on May 31 last year when Israeli commandos boarded a six-boat flotilla in international waters in a bid to stop it from breaching Israel's blockade on Gaza.

 

Israeli troops killed nine Turkish nationals on the ship Mavi Marmara in the ensuing confrontation, sparking a diplomatic row between the two countries that has strained relations to breaking point.

 

"Turkey will be firm on its right to control the territorial waters in the east of the Mediterranean," Erdogan added.

 

Ankara had also "undertaken measures to prevent Israel unilaterally exploiting" the region's natural resources, he warned.

 

The United Nations published a report last week condemning last year's Israeli intervention -- but saying the blockade itself was legal.

 

Ankara expelled the Israeli ambassador and suspended all military ties, including defence-related trade contracts, in retaliation for Israel's refusal to apologise for the raid.

 

 

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Turkey should just forget about becoming even with Israel and safe it's self from being raped by Israel like how

the Arabs fear the Jews. As much I disprove what's happening with Palestine why isn't that other Arab nations NOT

helping them ? You got Egypt , Syria and many more in the region.

 

Turkey should never do this....

[burahadeer]

a showdown!

[RedSea]

Well Turkey has every right to extend humantarian assistance to their needy brethrens in Palestine or in Somalia. Having warships accompany the aid vessels does not mean war neccesarily. It basically demostratesTurkey's firm stance on getting that aid to the Palestinian brothers and making sure all their vessels and crew return to their point departure safely.

[x-madiino]

rag Rag dhalay,,

[Alderman]

In that case, can the IDF Navy also accompany aid ships to Kurdistan?

[Che -Guevara]

aid ships to Kurdistan...They can if they find sea route to Kurdistan.

[BoldNewSomali]

I think Turkey is doing a great job advocating for the Pals, but they should avoid a military confrontation with Israel. They have so many good things going for them and if there is a military confrontation I feel like there will be a coup, fully supported by the West, and the AKP will be banned. Also the IDF packs a good punch and Im sure the resources of the Pentagon in the region will be put to good use by the Israelis. So I dont think it is worth it really.

If they must do something, they should do it in a coalition with countries like Brazil, Venezuela, China and of course the Arab nations. I seriously doubt that such a coalition can be cobbled together, for starters the Arab states are useless strategically because they are a bunch of weak dictators watching out for their own (by own i mean the immediate family of the ruler) interests.

[burahadeer]

skip

[burahadeer]

It was wrong of Israelis to kill those people,they already stormed the ship & was under control.Anyway they both need to save face & just agree on feeding the people.

 

@alderman...I feel sorry for Kurds,too......