Turkey's diplomatic offensive against
Israel gains Muslim steam Assad: Syria prepared to act against Israel's siege of Gaza;
Erdogan: Turkey can give Gaza everything it needs if Israel lifts siege.
- Published 10:56 07.06.10
- Latest update 10:56 07.06.10
By
Jack
Khoury and
Haaretz Service
Israel's storming of the Turkish ship and
killing of nine Turks a week ago has loomed over the Eurasian and Middle
East security talks in Istanbul, which began on Monday and will move to
a full summit on Tuesday.
"The time has come to lift the embargo on
Gaza," Turkey's Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan told a joint news
conference with Syria's President Bashar al-Assad of Syria.
 | Syrian President Bashar Assad, right, and Turkish Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan, left, meeting in Istanbul on May 9, 2010.
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Photo by: AP
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"We don't want an open air prison in the world any more," he saidOnce close allies, Israel and Turkey's relations have been on a downward
spiral since Erdogan began championing the Palestinian cause after an
Israeli offensive in Gaza in 2008.
The Turkish leader has said Israel would have to pay for killing Turks
in the botched commando raid.
"Israel has to pay the bill for the blood that has been shed by the
martyrs," said Erdogan, who has become a folk hero in the Middle East
for his attacks on Israel.
The Syrian leader pledged to support Turkey
in action and words in its campaign for an end to the blockade.
"I would like to say Turkish blood is not
different from Arab blood," Assad said. "Our blood is one, and this
combination will eliminate the blockade of Gaza."
Damascus would stand by "every decision"
made by Turkey to see Israel lift its blockade of the Gaza Strip, Assad
said, adding: "We are not just about condemnation, we are about
actions."
Assad added his own criticism of the
flotilla raid, calling it not "just another crime, but a crime that
exposes Israel's true face."
"We came to Istanbul to condemn Israel's
crime," said Assad. "We are not just people who talks and issue
declarations of condemnation. We are in favor of actions, and we
declare that we will support every decision and every step that Turkey
requests in order to break the blockade, including support of an
international inquiry."
"It is clear to the world that the peace
activists arrived with a goal of peace," added Assad. "The whole world,
including Israel, knew in advance that it was a Turkish boat, sailing
under a Turkish flag. Israel always commits crime, but it has always
accused those it killed of terrorism. This time, Israel cannot accuse
its victims of terror."
Turkey also received messages from support
from other Muslim countries, including Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Iran,
Pakistan, Qatar and, of course, Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas.
"Pakistan condemned in the strongest
possible terms the unjustified aggression shown towards the freedom
flotilla," Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said. "We
stand by you."
It is doubtful whether the final declaration
by the Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia forum
(CICA) will contain a condemnation of Israel, as the wording has to be
reached by consensus, and Israel is a member.
Though it decided against exposing any
senior official to Turkey's fury at an international forum, Israel was
represented by its consulate-general.
CICA includes a diverse group of 20
countries, but many other countries' leaders – such as Assad - have come
as guests.
While not expecting much from CICA, Turkey
is using the chance to gather diplomatic support against Israel.
On Wednesday, Arab League foreign ministers
are due to meet in Istanbul for talks with their Turkish counterpart.
Israel has rejected a proposal by UN
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for a multi-national investigation and
said it had the right to launch its own inquiry. It has said its forces
acted in self-defense after they were set upon by pro-Palestinian
activists wielding clubs and knives.
Erdogan dismissed Israeli allegations that
some of the aid workers on board the Mavi Marmara aid ship had militant
links.
"They are like a lying machine. They are
making up lies. That's what they are known for," the Turkish leader
said.
The diplomatic offensive against Israel has
overshadowed other business at the summit, being attended by eight
visiting presidents, plus Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.
Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who
has called for Israel to be "wiped off the map", met with Turkey's
President Abdullah Gul on Monday.
According to a Turkish official, Gul urged
the Iranian president to show the world that Tehran was ready to
cooperate to remove fears concerning its nuclear program.
Ahmadinejad criticized Putin last month for
backing moves to draft sanctions against Iran last month, and there are
no plans for them to meet during the CICA summit.
Turkey, NATO's only Muslim member and a
candidate to join the European Union, has sought to raise its
international profile in recent years, mediating in issues ranging from
Afghanistan/Pakistan ties to Iran's nuclear program.
http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/turkey-s-diplomatic-offensive-against-israel-gains-muslim-steam-1.294662 
