‘Unless these soldiers are punished and Gaza blockade is lifted, we won’t accept compensation,’ says Turk who was injured in 2010 IDF raid on Gaza-bound flotilla
Israel’s apology to Turkey over the 2010 killing of nine Turks aboard a Gaza-bound aid ship did not go far enough and Israeli soldiers will be pursued in court, Turkish nationals who were injured in the incident said on Monday.
In a rapprochement brokered by US President Barack Obama, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu apologized to his Turkish counterpart Tayyip Erdogan on March 22 for the killings, pledged compensation to the bereaved or hurt and agreed to ease a six-year blockade on Gaza. Erdogan said these gestures met his conditions for normalizing relations with its erstwhile ally.
US Secretary of State John Kerry said while visiting Istanbul on Sunday that restoring full ties between Turkey and Israel was vital to regional stability.
With the apology, Israel aimed to end a three-year diplomatic crisis with Turkey, once its closest regional ally, that erupted when Israeli soldiers stormed an international flotilla challenging the Gaza blockade.
As part of the agreement on compensation, Israel wants lawsuits against its soldiers to be dropped.
“We will continue with the criminal lawsuits we have opened against the Israeli soldiers and commanders, and we won’t accept dropping this suit if compensation is paid,” said Musa Cogas, who was wounded by Israeli gunfire on board the Turkish-owned Mavi Marmara, part of the Gaza-bound flotilla.
An Istanbul court is hearing charges that have been filed against four of Israel’s most senior retired commanders, including the ex-army chief, in absentia and could carry life sentences. Israel has called this a politically motivated “show trial”.
Ahmet Varol, a journalist who was on the Mavi Marmara, said one “formula for a resolution” would be for Israel to provide a timetable for ending the blockade of Gaza, ruled by the Islamist Hamas movement, and make Turkey a monitor of that process.
“Our efforts are for the full lifting of the blockade. Nobody wants compensation, and while an apology may have diplomatic meaning, it means nothing to the victims,” he said.
The apology nonetheless showed Israel had accepted its wrongdoing in the incident, Varol added.
The United States has urged the two sides to mend fences to ease Israel’s diplomatic isolation in the Middle East and to improve coordination to contain spillover from the Syrian civil war and face the challenge of Iran’s nuclear program.
A senior Israeli official told Reuters last month Israel did not commit to ending its Gaza blockade as part of reconciliation with Turkey and could clamp down even harder on the Palestinian enclave if security is threatened.
“It’s not possible to heal my wounds with just an apology,” said Cogas, who was shot in the shoulder by Israeli marines. His friend of 30 years, Cengiz Songur, was killed in the raid. “Unless these soldiers are punished and the blockade is lifted…, we won’t accept compensation.”
I wish Israelis had that kind of chutzpah. Instead of whining, they should be suing the Turkish terrorist for damages for assaulting the Israeli commandos and while breaking a legal blockade!
Kerry’s claim of Turkish ‘sensitivity’ astonishes Israelis
http://www.jpost.com/Diplomacy-and-Politics/Kerrys-claim-of-Turkish-sensitivity-astonishes-Israelis-309038
Israeli official tells ‘Post’ Secretary of state apparently did not read Turkey’s press reaction reports following PM Netanyahu’s apology over the 2010 flotilla incident; says reports included gloating.
Israeli officials expressed astonishment on Sunday that US Secretary of State John Kerry praised Turkey for responding “sensitively” and without triumphalism to Israel’s apology for the Mavi Marmara incident.
“They have taken steps to try to prevent any sense of triumphalism,” Kerry said at a press conference on Sunday with Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu. “It has not come from the government. In fact, there has been limited response by the government itself and I think it’s important for everybody to take note of that.”
“What country is he talking about?” one Israeli official responded. “I’m afraid the State Department did not show the secretary of state the press reports from Turkey following the apology.”
The official said those reports were full of interviews and statements by both Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Davutoglu and other government ministers gloating over the apology, which was for operational errors committed that may have led to a loss of life on the Mavi Marmara in May 2010. Nine Turks were killed when Israel Navy commandos, trying to keep the ship from breaking the blockade of the Gaza Strip, were attacked by those on board.
What a horrid debacle has Netanyahu produced again. We will also see much the same regarding Iran’s nuclear plans and worse yet, Netanyahu will run from Har Habait, Jerusalem, Y & S as well.
That person must be forced out of office.
Laura Said:
The only thing Israel didn’t do that was right was shoot him in the head. What’s really remarkable is not that any Islamic terrorists were killed but that the IDF didn’t kill ALL of them!
Turkey gave NO undertaking to drop lawsuits against Israel.
As Shy Guy would say, Israel’s leaders are FUBAR on the simple moral principle of self defense.
IF ITS SELF DEFENSE, DON’T APOLOGIZE, DAMNIT!
Bibi, you messed up. You fell into the trap set by Obama. What did Obama promise you that Israel is continuing to take the crap that turkey is throwing at us. Erogenjust wants to become the lead muzzie. Bibi take back your apology and start being a strong leader. Has one arab leader ever apologized to Israel? Never and don’t expect one.
@ Yidvocate:
Well said! I agree with your entire comment.
Too fucking bad.
Retract the abysmally shameful apology, indite Erogen, the captain, the crew and the IHH terrorists, cut all relations with Islamofascist Turkey, pass a resolution acknowledging the Armenian genocide, send a flotilla to aid the Kurds (“Mountain Turks”!), Develop the Mediterranean gas and oil reserves with Greece and Cyprus and let it be know to Erdogen that any interference will result in nuclear devastation to his country.
End of story!
Hey, terrorists of the Mavi Marmara looking to be paid for your violence, take up your complaint with Tayyip Erdogan – he asked for and, I assume, accepted an apology on your behalf from wimpy Netanyahu. Why don’t you use your usual tactics and threaten Tayyip Erdogan with terrorism – get a ship of fools together to land on Turkish shores with ammo, clubs, knives, etc. Bring along your favorite leftist useful idiots. If you don’t get what you want from Tayyip Erdogan, then I am sure the UN will do your bidding or, if that fails, just drown yourselves in the ocean.