If Israel goes down, we all go down
http://www.worldjewishcongress.org/en/main/showNews/id/9401
Anger over Gaza is a distraction. We cannot forget that Israel is the West's best ally in a turbulent region
By José María Aznar
For far too long now it has been unfashionable in Europe to speak up for Israel. In the wake of the recent incident on board a ship full of anti-Israeli activists in the Mediterranean, it is hard to think of a more unpopular cause to champion.
In an ideal world, the assault by Israeli commandos on the Mavi Marmara would not have ended up with nine dead and a score wounded. In an ideal world, the soldiers would have been peacefully welcomed on to the ship. In an ideal world, no state, let alone a recent ally of Israel such as Turkey, would have sponsored and organized a flotilla whose sole purpose was to create an impossible situation for Israel: making it choose between giving up its security policy and the naval blockade, or risking the wrath of the world.
In our dealings with Israel, we must blow away the red mists of anger that too often cloud our judgment. A reasonable and balanced approach should encapsulate the following realities: first, the state of Israel was created by a decision of the UN. Its legitimacy, therefore, should not be in question. Israel is a nation with deeply rooted democratic institutions. It is a dynamic and open society that has repeatedly excelled in culture, science and technology.
Second, owing to its roots, history, and values, Israel is a fully fledged Western nation. Indeed, it is a normal Western nation, but one confronted by abnormal circumstances.
Uniquely in the West, it is the only democracy whose very existence has been questioned since its inception. In the first instance, it was attacked by its neighbors using the conventional weapons of war. Then it faced terrorism culminating in wave after wave of suicide attacks. Now, at the behest of radical Islamists and their sympathizers, it faces a campaign of delegitimisation through international law and diplomacy.
Sixty-two years after its creation, Israel is still fighting for its very survival. Punished with missiles raining from north and south, threatened with destruction by an Iran aiming to acquire nuclear weapons and pressed upon by friend and foe, Israel, it seems, is never to have a moment's peace.
For years, the focus of Western attention has understandably been on the peace process between Israelis and Palestinians. But if Israel is in danger today and the whole region is slipping towards a worryingly problematic future, it is not due to the lack of understanding between the parties on how to solve this conflict. The parameters of any prospective peace agreement are clear, however difficult it may seem for the two sides to make the final push for a settlement.
The real threats to regional stability, however, are to be found in the rise of a radical Islamism which sees Israel's destruction as the fulfillment of its religious destiny and, simultaneously in the case of Iran, as an expression of its ambitions for regional hegemony. Both phenomena are threats that affect not only Israel, but also the wider West and the world at large.
The core of the problem lies in the ambiguous and often erroneous manner in which too many Western countries are now reacting to this situation. It is easy to blame Israel for all the evils in the Middle East. Some even act and talk as if a new understanding with the Muslim world could be achieved if only we were prepared to sacrifice the Jewish state on the altar. This would be folly.
Israel is our first line of defense in a turbulent region that is constantly at risk of descending into chaos; a region vital to our energy security owing to our overdependence on Middle Eastern oil; a region that forms the front line in the fight against extremism. If Israel goes down, we all go down. To defend Israel's right to exist in peace, within secure borders, requires a degree of moral and strategic clarity that too often seems to have disappeared in Europe. The United States shows worrying signs of heading in the same direction.
The West is going through a period of confusion over the shape of the world's future. To a great extent, this confusion is caused by a kind of masochistic self-doubt over our own identity; by the rule of political correctness; by a multiculturalism that forces us to our knees before others; and by a secularism which, irony of ironies, blinds us even when we are confronted by jihadis promoting the most fanatical incarnation of their faith. To abandon Israel to its fate, at this moment of all moments, would merely serve to illustrate how far we have sunk and how inexorable our decline now appears.
This cannot be allowed to happen. Motivated by the need to rebuild our own Western values, expressing deep concern about the wave of aggression against Israel, and mindful that Israel's strength is our strength and Israel's weakness is our weakness, I have decided to promote a new Friends of Israel initiative with the help of some prominent people, including David Trimble, Andrew Roberts, John Bolton, Alejandro Toledo (the former President of Peru), Marcello Pera (philosopher and former President of the Italian Senate), Fiamma Nirenstein (the Italian author and politician), the financier Robert Agostinelli and the Catholic intellectual George Weigel.
It is not our intention to defend any specific policy or any particular Israeli government. The sponsors of this initiative are certain to disagree at times with decisions taken by Jerusalem. We are democrats, and we believe in diversity.
What binds us, however, is our unyielding support for Israel's right to exist and to defend itself. For Western countries to side with those who question Israel's legitimacy, for them to play games in international bodies with Israel's vital security issues, for them to appease those who oppose Western values rather than robustly to stand up in defense of those values, is not only a grave moral mistake, but a strategic error of the first magnitude.
Israel is a fundamental part of the West. The West is what it is thanks to its Judeo-Christian roots. If the Jewish element of those roots is upturned and Israel is lost, then we are lost too. Whether we like it or not, our fate is inextricably intertwined.
José María Aznar was prime minister of Spain between 1996 and 2004.
Friday, June 18, 2010
Monday, June 14, 2010
Israel Readjusts Ties To Turkey
Israel Readjusts Ties To Turkey
http://thebulletin.us/articles/2010/06/04/news/world/doc4c09acf01bdfc651255579.txt
By DAVID BEDEIN, Middle East Correspondent
Friday, June 04, 2010
JERUSALEM - Numerous Israeli companies have begun either to sever or to suspend their commercial relations with Turkey in the wake of the flotilla to Gaza.
Dafna, a clothing company, canceled its plans to build a production factory in Turkey and decided to stop importing fabric from Turkey. “The incidents of the flotilla this week were the straw that broke us,” said yesterday Zvika Levinson, one of the owners of Dafna. “We wanted to transfer a production line to Turkey, but now there’s no chance. Our trade in fabric with Turkey has also dropped to zero. I’m in the process of looking into new markets in Taiwan and Eastern Europe.”
Eran Siv, the chairman of the Association of Renovation Contractors and the owner of Even Siv, which imports stones and other raw materials from Turkey to be sold in Israel, has decided to stop all activity with Turkey and canceled a scheduled business trip there. “I import from a Turkish supplier a very popular stone, which is intended mainly for swimming pools. In the wake of the new tension, I canceled the orders and I placed them instead with an Egyptian stone supplier. I won’t let the Turks make money on our backs.”The veteran construction company Almogim has also decided to stop buying construction materials from Turkey.
Gandi Gurevich, the CEO of Almogim, said that that decision had begun to crystallize in recent months in response to the worsening of relations and the displays of Turkish anti-Semitism, but a final decision was only made this week. He said that Almogim used to buy toilets, sinks, bathtubs, bath tiles, marble and other products from Turkey. Now, he said, no Turkish-made products would be bought to be installed in any new construction projects; instead, those products would be purchased in Eastern Europe and the Far East.
A large energy company also decided this week that it would scale back its activity in Turkey. The CEO, who agreed to speak on condition of anonymity because of a company branch in Istanbul, said yesterday, “We’ve recalled our representative from Turkey. Most of our new activity will be directed from now on towards Greece because of the political climate.”
The Israeli fashion company, Discrete, imports viscose fabric from Turkey. Yaakov Ganai, the director general and owner of the chain, said, “For the moment, I haven’t decided on an absolute termination of work, but I definitely understand that there is a serious problem and I am very leery of flying to Turkey in the shadow of the crisis, and my business obliges me to get an impression of the products and to have frontal working relations. I’m trying to figure out a different solution.”
Chairman of the Israel-Turkey Chamber of Commerce Menashe Carmon said, “We’ve stopped a few projects in real estate, research and development and energy. Israeli companies that are considering establishing factories in Turkey and partnerships are now going to think twice; there is an enormous volume of future activities that are now going to be either reexamined or are going to be stopped.
The refinery in Haifa is also liable to suffer as a result in the deterioration of relations with Turkey. The refinery reported yesterday that between seven and nine percent of its volume of projected sales in 2010 was earmarked for the Turkish market. On Tuesday, a spokesman for the refinery said, “Sales activities in Turkey in the various areas of activity are proceeding regularly.” The refinery is preparing itself to find alternative markets.
http://thebulletin.us/articles/2010/06/04/news/world/doc4c09acf01bdfc651255579.txt
By DAVID BEDEIN, Middle East Correspondent
Friday, June 04, 2010
JERUSALEM - Numerous Israeli companies have begun either to sever or to suspend their commercial relations with Turkey in the wake of the flotilla to Gaza.
Dafna, a clothing company, canceled its plans to build a production factory in Turkey and decided to stop importing fabric from Turkey. “The incidents of the flotilla this week were the straw that broke us,” said yesterday Zvika Levinson, one of the owners of Dafna. “We wanted to transfer a production line to Turkey, but now there’s no chance. Our trade in fabric with Turkey has also dropped to zero. I’m in the process of looking into new markets in Taiwan and Eastern Europe.”
Eran Siv, the chairman of the Association of Renovation Contractors and the owner of Even Siv, which imports stones and other raw materials from Turkey to be sold in Israel, has decided to stop all activity with Turkey and canceled a scheduled business trip there. “I import from a Turkish supplier a very popular stone, which is intended mainly for swimming pools. In the wake of the new tension, I canceled the orders and I placed them instead with an Egyptian stone supplier. I won’t let the Turks make money on our backs.”The veteran construction company Almogim has also decided to stop buying construction materials from Turkey.
Gandi Gurevich, the CEO of Almogim, said that that decision had begun to crystallize in recent months in response to the worsening of relations and the displays of Turkish anti-Semitism, but a final decision was only made this week. He said that Almogim used to buy toilets, sinks, bathtubs, bath tiles, marble and other products from Turkey. Now, he said, no Turkish-made products would be bought to be installed in any new construction projects; instead, those products would be purchased in Eastern Europe and the Far East.
A large energy company also decided this week that it would scale back its activity in Turkey. The CEO, who agreed to speak on condition of anonymity because of a company branch in Istanbul, said yesterday, “We’ve recalled our representative from Turkey. Most of our new activity will be directed from now on towards Greece because of the political climate.”
The Israeli fashion company, Discrete, imports viscose fabric from Turkey. Yaakov Ganai, the director general and owner of the chain, said, “For the moment, I haven’t decided on an absolute termination of work, but I definitely understand that there is a serious problem and I am very leery of flying to Turkey in the shadow of the crisis, and my business obliges me to get an impression of the products and to have frontal working relations. I’m trying to figure out a different solution.”
Chairman of the Israel-Turkey Chamber of Commerce Menashe Carmon said, “We’ve stopped a few projects in real estate, research and development and energy. Israeli companies that are considering establishing factories in Turkey and partnerships are now going to think twice; there is an enormous volume of future activities that are now going to be either reexamined or are going to be stopped.
The refinery in Haifa is also liable to suffer as a result in the deterioration of relations with Turkey. The refinery reported yesterday that between seven and nine percent of its volume of projected sales in 2010 was earmarked for the Turkish market. On Tuesday, a spokesman for the refinery said, “Sales activities in Turkey in the various areas of activity are proceeding regularly.” The refinery is preparing itself to find alternative markets.
Israel recalls its Heron drone operators from Turkey
Israel recalls its Heron drone operators from Turkey
http://www.panarmenian.net/eng/world/news/49944/Israel_recalls_its_Heron_drone_operators_from_Turkey
Israel has recalled its Heron drone operators from the southeast Turkish city of Batman, where they had been training Turkish officers on the unmanned aircraft. The action occurs in the wake of the deadly May 31 attack on the Mavi Marmara and ensuing diplomatic crisis between the two nations, pulsemedia reports citing Zaman Turkish edition.
In 2005, Turkey agreed to purchase 10 Heron drones from Israel at a total price of nearly 190 million dollars. Following a delay of over 2 years, 6 of the promised aircraft were delivered to Turkey earlier this year.
According to Zaman, the removal of the Israeli operators at this particular time, before the Turkish officers have completed their training, appears to be driven by more than mere concern for the operators’ safety.
http://www.panarmenian.net/eng/world/news/49944/Israel_recalls_its_Heron_drone_operators_from_Turkey
Israel has recalled its Heron drone operators from the southeast Turkish city of Batman, where they had been training Turkish officers on the unmanned aircraft. The action occurs in the wake of the deadly May 31 attack on the Mavi Marmara and ensuing diplomatic crisis between the two nations, pulsemedia reports citing Zaman Turkish edition.
In 2005, Turkey agreed to purchase 10 Heron drones from Israel at a total price of nearly 190 million dollars. Following a delay of over 2 years, 6 of the promised aircraft were delivered to Turkey earlier this year.
According to Zaman, the removal of the Israeli operators at this particular time, before the Turkish officers have completed their training, appears to be driven by more than mere concern for the operators’ safety.
Worker Committees Boycott Turkish Products
Worker Committees Boycott Turkish Products
According to a new survey, Israeli workers unions will not purchase gifts this year for workers that were made in Turkey .
Last year the worker committees spent NIS 2 billion on such gifts.
According to a new survey, Israeli workers unions will not purchase gifts this year for workers that were made in Turkey .
Last year the worker committees spent NIS 2 billion on such gifts.
Unions call for boycott of Turkish goods
Unions call for boycott of Turkish goods
http://www.jpost.com/Israel/Article.aspx?id=177993
http://www.jpost.com/Israel/Article.aspx?id=177993
Turkey Boycotts Holocaust Conference in Jerusalem
Turkey Boycotts Holocaust Conference in Jerusalem
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/news.aspx/138030
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/news.aspx/138030
Major Israeli supermarket chains boycott Turkish goods
Major Israeli supermarket chains boycott Turkish goods
'For reasons of ideology and conscience, it would be unacceptable for us to do nothing when the Turkish people behave this way.'
By Adi Dovrat-Meseritz
http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/major-israeli-supermarket-chains-boycott-turkish-goods-1.295970
'For reasons of ideology and conscience, it would be unacceptable for us to do nothing when the Turkish people behave this way.'
By Adi Dovrat-Meseritz
http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/major-israeli-supermarket-chains-boycott-turkish-goods-1.295970
No more Turkish vacations
No more Turkish vacations
Israeli travel agents and charter airlines have completely halted sales of vacation packages to Turkey as a result of the Gaza flotilla incident and its aftermath.
By Zohar Blumenkrantz and Haim Bior
http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/business/no-more-turkish-vacations-1.294590
Israeli travel agents and charter airlines have completely halted sales of vacation packages to Turkey as a result of the Gaza flotilla incident and its aftermath.
By Zohar Blumenkrantz and Haim Bior
http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/business/no-more-turkish-vacations-1.294590
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Hello, Turkey?
Hello, Turkey?
By AARON SCHOCK06/06/2010
http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Editorials/Article.aspx?id=177584
The Turkish foreign minister recently called the flotilla episode ‘Turkey’s 9-11.’
There are some vital points being overlooked in the international coverage of the Israeli response to the Gaza flotilla, and a mountain of hypocrisy that needs to be exposed. Egypt, the Palestinian Authority (PA) and every Arab foreign minister agreed that Hamas not be allowed to control the southern border crossing with Egypt after the terror group violently seized control of Gaza in 2007. Yes, Egypt has blockaded Gaza under Hamas’s control as much as the Israelis have – and with the widespread support of Arab governments and the PA. Where’s the outrage?
Palestinians are supposedly experiencing a humanitarian crisis, and yet no Arab or Islamic government has demanded Egypt open its border with Gaza. Hello, Turkey?When Israel pulled out completely from the Gaza Strip in 2005, it imposed no blockade. It was only after Hamas began a terror campaign with 10,000 rockets fired at Israeli civilians that Israel and Egypt imposed this blockade – with PA and Arab support. No Arab government wanted a terror-prone Hamas to flourish in Gaza, let alone spread.ONE NEEDS to ask: If the Kurds or the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) across the Turkish border in Iraq rained 10,000 rockets on Turkish civilians, what would the Turks do? After all, the Kurds have legitimate disputes with the government of Turkey, and have been viciously repressed.What if international NGOs decided to airlift humanitarian supplies to PKK refugees in Iraq, with those shipments containing civilian equipment that could easily be made into weapons?Only Turkey recognizes a Turkish republic in Northern Cyprus. What would the Turkish military’s response be if organizations from nations that do not recognize the Turkish occupation of Northern Cyprus decided to break that military occupation?Again, regarding Turkish hypocrisy, the prime minister of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, received the international pariah who leads Sudan – President Omar Bashir – a man who has committed genocide. The International Criminal Court has an arrest warrant out for him on charges of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. Not only has the Darfur region of Sudan experienced genocide directed by Bashir and his government, but other regions of southern Sudan have as well. During the visit in mid-August of last year, Erdogan said he did not believe Bashir was guilty of the war crimes for which he was indicted.And here is how the Turkish prime minister justified that widely disputed contention: “It is not possible for those who belong to the Muslim faith to carry out genocide,” said Erdogan. He deems Bashir innocent. End of story.
THE TURKISH foreign minister recently called the flotilla episode, “Turkey’s 9-11.” Shame on you sir. No American should ever forget such an insult.This brings me to the reason for the blockade of Gaza, including the Israeli naval blockade. Some of the items on the ships were dual-use, with both civilian and military uses. For instance, there was rebar for a small amount of cement.Heaven knows Gaza needs a lot of rebuilding. This tiny amount is insignificant for construction, however, although it’s a nice supply of iron to be converted into weapons.If the Israeli naval blockade ends does anyone really think Hamas won’t be importing a wide array of weapons? If the ships don’t have to go through checkpoints, arms shipments would resume without a doubt – and so would the rocket attacks.What nation would sit back and allow arms to pour into a neighboring territory that will certainly be used in more attacks on its people? If the blockade ends, arms shipments into Gaza will resume, and rocket firings into will Israel resume. It’s that simple.None of the United Nations peacekeeping organizations and observers has kept out the sophisticated weapons imported by Hizbullah into southern Lebanon – despite absolute UN assurances to do so. No similar observers are capable of standing in the way of Iranian arms shipments to Hamas either. Only Israeli and Egyptian checkpoints can do that. Again, I ask, would Turkey allow similar organizations to ship uninspected cargo to the suffering PKK Kurds in Turkey and Iraq? Hamas needs to negotiate with its estranged brothers in the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank, and commit themselves to peace and recognition of Israel. Then peace and prosperity will prevail.Let’s get the facts straight and the hypocrisy exposed as this debate proceeds.The writer, a Republican, represents Illinois’ 18th Congressional District. He is the youngest member of Congress.
By AARON SCHOCK06/06/2010
http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Editorials/Article.aspx?id=177584
The Turkish foreign minister recently called the flotilla episode ‘Turkey’s 9-11.’
There are some vital points being overlooked in the international coverage of the Israeli response to the Gaza flotilla, and a mountain of hypocrisy that needs to be exposed. Egypt, the Palestinian Authority (PA) and every Arab foreign minister agreed that Hamas not be allowed to control the southern border crossing with Egypt after the terror group violently seized control of Gaza in 2007. Yes, Egypt has blockaded Gaza under Hamas’s control as much as the Israelis have – and with the widespread support of Arab governments and the PA. Where’s the outrage?
Palestinians are supposedly experiencing a humanitarian crisis, and yet no Arab or Islamic government has demanded Egypt open its border with Gaza. Hello, Turkey?When Israel pulled out completely from the Gaza Strip in 2005, it imposed no blockade. It was only after Hamas began a terror campaign with 10,000 rockets fired at Israeli civilians that Israel and Egypt imposed this blockade – with PA and Arab support. No Arab government wanted a terror-prone Hamas to flourish in Gaza, let alone spread.ONE NEEDS to ask: If the Kurds or the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) across the Turkish border in Iraq rained 10,000 rockets on Turkish civilians, what would the Turks do? After all, the Kurds have legitimate disputes with the government of Turkey, and have been viciously repressed.What if international NGOs decided to airlift humanitarian supplies to PKK refugees in Iraq, with those shipments containing civilian equipment that could easily be made into weapons?Only Turkey recognizes a Turkish republic in Northern Cyprus. What would the Turkish military’s response be if organizations from nations that do not recognize the Turkish occupation of Northern Cyprus decided to break that military occupation?Again, regarding Turkish hypocrisy, the prime minister of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, received the international pariah who leads Sudan – President Omar Bashir – a man who has committed genocide. The International Criminal Court has an arrest warrant out for him on charges of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. Not only has the Darfur region of Sudan experienced genocide directed by Bashir and his government, but other regions of southern Sudan have as well. During the visit in mid-August of last year, Erdogan said he did not believe Bashir was guilty of the war crimes for which he was indicted.And here is how the Turkish prime minister justified that widely disputed contention: “It is not possible for those who belong to the Muslim faith to carry out genocide,” said Erdogan. He deems Bashir innocent. End of story.
THE TURKISH foreign minister recently called the flotilla episode, “Turkey’s 9-11.” Shame on you sir. No American should ever forget such an insult.This brings me to the reason for the blockade of Gaza, including the Israeli naval blockade. Some of the items on the ships were dual-use, with both civilian and military uses. For instance, there was rebar for a small amount of cement.Heaven knows Gaza needs a lot of rebuilding. This tiny amount is insignificant for construction, however, although it’s a nice supply of iron to be converted into weapons.If the Israeli naval blockade ends does anyone really think Hamas won’t be importing a wide array of weapons? If the ships don’t have to go through checkpoints, arms shipments would resume without a doubt – and so would the rocket attacks.What nation would sit back and allow arms to pour into a neighboring territory that will certainly be used in more attacks on its people? If the blockade ends, arms shipments into Gaza will resume, and rocket firings into will Israel resume. It’s that simple.None of the United Nations peacekeeping organizations and observers has kept out the sophisticated weapons imported by Hizbullah into southern Lebanon – despite absolute UN assurances to do so. No similar observers are capable of standing in the way of Iranian arms shipments to Hamas either. Only Israeli and Egyptian checkpoints can do that. Again, I ask, would Turkey allow similar organizations to ship uninspected cargo to the suffering PKK Kurds in Turkey and Iraq? Hamas needs to negotiate with its estranged brothers in the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank, and commit themselves to peace and recognition of Israel. Then peace and prosperity will prevail.Let’s get the facts straight and the hypocrisy exposed as this debate proceeds.The writer, a Republican, represents Illinois’ 18th Congressional District. He is the youngest member of Congress.
U.S. sources: Turkey vote against Iran sanctions - a slap in the face
U.S. sources: Turkey vote against Iran sanctions - a slap in the face
http://www.haaretz.com/news/international/u-s-sources-turkey-vote-against-iran-sanctions-a-slap-in-the-face-1.295480
http://www.haaretz.com/news/international/u-s-sources-turkey-vote-against-iran-sanctions-a-slap-in-the-face-1.295480
U.S. sources: Turkey vote against Iran sanctions - a slap in the face
U.S. sources: Turkey vote against Iran sanctions - a slap in the face
http://www.haaretz.com/news/international/u-s-sources-turkey-vote-against-iran-sanctions-a-slap-in-the-face-1.295480
http://www.haaretz.com/news/international/u-s-sources-turkey-vote-against-iran-sanctions-a-slap-in-the-face-1.295480
Turkey joins Iran to lead Arabs against U.S.
Turkey joins Iran to lead Arabs against U.S.
Richard Shulman
http://www.examiner.com/x-7095-NY-Israel-Conflict-Examiner~y2010m6d10-Turkey-joins-Iran-to-lead-Arabs-against-US
Turkey has returned to the “East.” It aspires again to lead Islam, starting by joining with Iran to lead the Arabs against the U.S.. Turkey’s Prime Minister Erdogan has become most popular among the Arabs by grandstanding against Israel about the flotilla.
Examples: "The heart of humanity has taken one of her heaviest wounds in history." "Bloody massacre." "spilling the blood of innocent humans." "in the history of humanity this has been recorded as a major shame." "a despicably cowardly and vicious act." “Turkey, unlike Israel, bellowed Erdogan, is not an ‘adolescent, rootless state.’" "As precious as Turkey's partnership is, so harsh will be her hostility." "Today is a turning point in history. Nothing will ever be the same again."
Turkey’s Foreign Minister Davutoglu called the Israeli raid “murder,” but N. Korea’s sinking of a S. Korean ship only of “great concern.”
Although Erdogan claims the government inspected the ship, only the Turkish ship resisted boarding, and it had Islamists possessing “clubs, wrist rockets that fire deadly projectiles, switchblades and military-style night vision equipment.”
By contrast with Erdogan’s warmongering, Davutoglu urged the West to drop sanctions against Iran.
Turkey probably is emboldened by the lack of U.S. leadership and its bias when it does lead. By pressuring only the Israeli side of the Arab-Israel conflict, Obama encourages hostile demagogues to pile on Israel. Obama let a nuclear resolution single out Israel, which is not violating any nuclear rules, and omit Iran, which is.
Considering Hamas’ subservience to Iran, ending the sea blockade of Gaza would give Iran a port in the Mediterranean. Can’t America see the harm in that? (IMRA, 6/8/10).
As more dangerous weapons proliferate, and as the planet's resources dwindle, these power politics become more counter-productive. How do we curb primitive, anti-social attitudes in this technological age?
Richard Shulman
http://www.examiner.com/x-7095-NY-Israel-Conflict-Examiner~y2010m6d10-Turkey-joins-Iran-to-lead-Arabs-against-US
Turkey has returned to the “East.” It aspires again to lead Islam, starting by joining with Iran to lead the Arabs against the U.S.. Turkey’s Prime Minister Erdogan has become most popular among the Arabs by grandstanding against Israel about the flotilla.
Examples: "The heart of humanity has taken one of her heaviest wounds in history." "Bloody massacre." "spilling the blood of innocent humans." "in the history of humanity this has been recorded as a major shame." "a despicably cowardly and vicious act." “Turkey, unlike Israel, bellowed Erdogan, is not an ‘adolescent, rootless state.’" "As precious as Turkey's partnership is, so harsh will be her hostility." "Today is a turning point in history. Nothing will ever be the same again."
Turkey’s Foreign Minister Davutoglu called the Israeli raid “murder,” but N. Korea’s sinking of a S. Korean ship only of “great concern.”
Although Erdogan claims the government inspected the ship, only the Turkish ship resisted boarding, and it had Islamists possessing “clubs, wrist rockets that fire deadly projectiles, switchblades and military-style night vision equipment.”
By contrast with Erdogan’s warmongering, Davutoglu urged the West to drop sanctions against Iran.
Turkey probably is emboldened by the lack of U.S. leadership and its bias when it does lead. By pressuring only the Israeli side of the Arab-Israel conflict, Obama encourages hostile demagogues to pile on Israel. Obama let a nuclear resolution single out Israel, which is not violating any nuclear rules, and omit Iran, which is.
Considering Hamas’ subservience to Iran, ending the sea blockade of Gaza would give Iran a port in the Mediterranean. Can’t America see the harm in that? (IMRA, 6/8/10).
As more dangerous weapons proliferate, and as the planet's resources dwindle, these power politics become more counter-productive. How do we curb primitive, anti-social attitudes in this technological age?
Video Recordings of Statements from Mavi Marmara Crew Members about Preparations Made by IHH Operatives for the Violent Confrontation with IDF Soldier
1. The videotaped statements of two Mavi Marmara crew members show that preparations for a violent confrontation with IDF forces were put in motion about two hours before the boarding began, when the Israeli Navy hailed the ship and told it to halt.
2. According to the statements, the atmosphere aboard the Mavi Marmara was tense and the crew noticed a gathering on the main deck. When they checked the upper deck they discovered that IHH operatives were cutting the ship’s railings with metal disks they had brought with them into lengths suitable to be used as clubs. The crew members said the activities worried them and that they tried to stop the operatives but were unsuccessful.
3. The following are the statements of the one of the ship’s captains and an officer. This bulletin contains the text of the statements and the videotaped interviews.
http://www.terrorism-info.org.il/malam_multimedia/English/eng_n/html/hamas_e112.htm
2. According to the statements, the atmosphere aboard the Mavi Marmara was tense and the crew noticed a gathering on the main deck. When they checked the upper deck they discovered that IHH operatives were cutting the ship’s railings with metal disks they had brought with them into lengths suitable to be used as clubs. The crew members said the activities worried them and that they tried to stop the operatives but were unsuccessful.
3. The following are the statements of the one of the ship’s captains and an officer. This bulletin contains the text of the statements and the videotaped interviews.
http://www.terrorism-info.org.il/malam_multimedia/English/eng_n/html/hamas_e112.htm
Friday, June 4, 2010
Breaking News : First YouTube now Google being banned in Turkey
Breaking News : First YouTube now Google being banned in Turkey
http://www.nationalturk.com/en/breaking-news-first-youtube-now-google-being-banned-in-turkey-425724574
Turkey is attempting to block access to Internet search engine giants, Google.
The Telecommunication and communication Ministry (TIB), a government body that can control Internet accessibility in Turkey are attempting to block certain IP’s (Internet Protocol Addresses) belonging to Google due to “legal reason”.
Some ADSL company’s and Internet services providers have sent their customers E-mail’s and letters informing them of inaccessibility or the slow use of certain Google services.
Turkey have already received criticism for Internet censorship after the ban of video sharing giants YouTube along with certain other websites.
TIB has also tried to block Facebook several times.
The Google accessibility problems started Thursday night where several Internet users in Turkey were unable to access Google.com.tr or suffered serious delays in the pages and services being uploaded.
One Internet Service provider sent this information to its users warning of some service problems that may be experienced.*Accessibility problems to Google.*Web portals and sites which use Google Analytics (the Google service which analyzes ad’s, visitor quantity, etc) along with Google Maps may have slow services.*Some websites which use Google Toolbar may be slow to access.* Some websites which have been integrated according to Google may be effected.
The shock decision to block Google came after Telecommunication Ministry started to block IP addresses of the websites rather than the DNS of the websites as of 31 May.
What is the reason behind the latest Internet CensorshipIt is alleged that due to several countries around the world banning popular Internet sites such as Google owned YouTube, Google have changed the IP addresses of YouTube to ones used by Google to try and tackle the problem.
Over this procedure by Google, the Telecommunication and communication Ministry in Turkey has blocked certain IP address belonging to Google in an attempt to stop accessibility to YouTube.
So in other words while trying to stop accessibility to YouTube, Google is having a knock on effect.
This latest Internet censorship has been met with outrage in Turkey. Many had already criticized the blocking of YouTube but with Google, Turkey’s most used Internet Search engine and site having problems, Turkish Internet users are planning to protest.
The banning may also have an effect on the growing economy of Turkey as several businesses are also expected to be affected by this decision by TIB, as many depend on Google for customers.
Turkey’s laws on Internet censorship has been debated may times as an entire website can be banned by the content on a single page.
YouTube was banned in the country after several complaints by users after video’s insulting Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey, which is an offence in the country were uploaded on the popular Video Sharing Website.
However, protesters of the decision are saying it is up to the people if they decide to watch such content or not. Many people in Turkey have already protested Internet Censorship and Freedom of Speech
Many Internet users had tackled the ban of YouTube by changing their DNS numbers or by using software that cracks the inaccessibility, but journalists and freedom of speech supporters are urging people to protest the ban’s rather than finding alternative ways to access banned sites.
Google services which are operating slowly or being banned by TIBhttp://code.google.comhttp://pages.google.comhttp://video.google.comhttp://translate.google.com.trhttp://docs.google.comhttp://sites.google.comhttp://books.google.comhttp://chrome.google.comhttp://sketchup.google.comhttp://froogle.google.comhttp://labs.google.comhttp://mars.google.comhttp://moon.google.comhttp://notebook.google.comhttp://toolbar.google.comhttp://browsersync.google.comhttp://catalog.google.comhttp://codesearch.google.comhttp://dir.google.comhttp://earth.google.comhttp://groups.google.com.trhttp://shopping.google.comhttp://sky.google.comhttp://support.google.comhttp://tools.google.comhttp://wap.google.comhttp://answers.google.comhttp://google-analystics.com
http://www.nationalturk.com/en/breaking-news-first-youtube-now-google-being-banned-in-turkey-425724574
Turkey is attempting to block access to Internet search engine giants, Google.
The Telecommunication and communication Ministry (TIB), a government body that can control Internet accessibility in Turkey are attempting to block certain IP’s (Internet Protocol Addresses) belonging to Google due to “legal reason”.
Some ADSL company’s and Internet services providers have sent their customers E-mail’s and letters informing them of inaccessibility or the slow use of certain Google services.
Turkey have already received criticism for Internet censorship after the ban of video sharing giants YouTube along with certain other websites.
TIB has also tried to block Facebook several times.
The Google accessibility problems started Thursday night where several Internet users in Turkey were unable to access Google.com.tr or suffered serious delays in the pages and services being uploaded.
One Internet Service provider sent this information to its users warning of some service problems that may be experienced.*Accessibility problems to Google.*Web portals and sites which use Google Analytics (the Google service which analyzes ad’s, visitor quantity, etc) along with Google Maps may have slow services.*Some websites which use Google Toolbar may be slow to access.* Some websites which have been integrated according to Google may be effected.
The shock decision to block Google came after Telecommunication Ministry started to block IP addresses of the websites rather than the DNS of the websites as of 31 May.
What is the reason behind the latest Internet CensorshipIt is alleged that due to several countries around the world banning popular Internet sites such as Google owned YouTube, Google have changed the IP addresses of YouTube to ones used by Google to try and tackle the problem.
Over this procedure by Google, the Telecommunication and communication Ministry in Turkey has blocked certain IP address belonging to Google in an attempt to stop accessibility to YouTube.
So in other words while trying to stop accessibility to YouTube, Google is having a knock on effect.
This latest Internet censorship has been met with outrage in Turkey. Many had already criticized the blocking of YouTube but with Google, Turkey’s most used Internet Search engine and site having problems, Turkish Internet users are planning to protest.
The banning may also have an effect on the growing economy of Turkey as several businesses are also expected to be affected by this decision by TIB, as many depend on Google for customers.
Turkey’s laws on Internet censorship has been debated may times as an entire website can be banned by the content on a single page.
YouTube was banned in the country after several complaints by users after video’s insulting Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey, which is an offence in the country were uploaded on the popular Video Sharing Website.
However, protesters of the decision are saying it is up to the people if they decide to watch such content or not. Many people in Turkey have already protested Internet Censorship and Freedom of Speech
Many Internet users had tackled the ban of YouTube by changing their DNS numbers or by using software that cracks the inaccessibility, but journalists and freedom of speech supporters are urging people to protest the ban’s rather than finding alternative ways to access banned sites.
Google services which are operating slowly or being banned by TIBhttp://code.google.comhttp://pages.google.comhttp://video.google.comhttp://translate.google.com.trhttp://docs.google.comhttp://sites.google.comhttp://books.google.comhttp://chrome.google.comhttp://sketchup.google.comhttp://froogle.google.comhttp://labs.google.comhttp://mars.google.comhttp://moon.google.comhttp://notebook.google.comhttp://toolbar.google.comhttp://browsersync.google.comhttp://catalog.google.comhttp://codesearch.google.comhttp://dir.google.comhttp://earth.google.comhttp://groups.google.com.trhttp://shopping.google.comhttp://sky.google.comhttp://support.google.comhttp://tools.google.comhttp://wap.google.comhttp://answers.google.comhttp://google-analystics.com
The Israeli Pride Parade / Ben Dror Yemini
The Israeli Pride Parade / Ben Dror Yemini
Israel is one of the leading countries in agriculture, high-tech, medicine and science. Maybe the world needs to be reminded of this.
Anyone who reads newspapers could be forgiven for thinking that Israel is a dangerous place ruled by violence and corruption. The celebration of Israel's 60th anniversary provides an opportunity to take stock of our achievements. The facts speak for themselves.
The Contribution to Humanity Index
There are quite a few measures by which countries are rated: national product, life expectancy, education, etc. There is no index measuring a specific country's contribution to humanity. That kind of index is long overdue. Whoever gets confused by facts is in for some surprises. Here is a partial list:
Agriculture: Israel leads the world in developing strains resistant to natural hazards and special crops to withstand harsh weather conditions. Israel invented the drip irrigation system, which saves tremendous amounts of water. Milk yield in Israel is the highest in the world, even double the European average. In Israel, a palm tree produces an average of 182 kg of fruit, compared to 17 kg in the rest of the Middle East.
Since the establishment of the state, the area of agricultural land has increased threefold, but output has increased by a factor of 16. Ashkelon boasts the world's largest desalination facility - unless Hamas's rockets manage to hit it, so that they can complain about a water crisis in the Gaza Strip.
High-tech: A significant part of the leading high-tech developments in the world are Israeli inventions. The first disk-on-key was an Israeli innovation. The ICQ instant messaging program, which has become an integral part of every computer the world over, was developed in Israel. The best security software in the world comes from Israel.
Most of the Windows XP operating system that is used in almost every computer worldwide was developed in Israel. VOIP technology (Voice over Internet Protocol, the basis for programs like Skype), making international telephone calls simple, inexpensive and readily available, was developed in Israel. It is no coincidence that every other day we hear about yet another Israeli company being acquired by a conglomerate.
Israel is in second place in the world, after Japan and ahead of the United States, in the number of patents per capita. If you check the effectiveness of the inventions, we actually take the lead. Out of the one hundred most important start-ups selected in Europe last year, ten were Israeli.
Science: Israel is in third place in the world in scientific publications per capita. And, when considering the importance of the publications as opposed to relative quantity, Israel is in 14th place in the world. This includes realms that benefit all of humanity - research in medicine, physics, mathematics and others.
Israel reached fifth place in the number of recipients of special grants for young researchers from the ERC (European Research Council). But, relative to its size, it actually takes first place in the number of winning researchers.
Medicine: Teva is the largest company in the world for generic medicines. There are probably few homes worldwide without some "Made in Israel" medication. Teva and other companies also develop new drugs. Teva developed a drug to treat Parkinson's disease. Israel participated in developing a treatment to reduce relapses of multiple sclerosis.
Just two years ago, Pfizer, the world’s largest pharmaceutical company, purchased an Israel company’s product that can prevent blindness. Israel leads in the field integrating nanorobotics and medicine.
And this is only a partial list.
Human potential
Not everything is wonderful in Israel. Many people have been left behind. The gaps in Israeli society are among the largest in democratic countries. Too few have control over too much of the capital. Therefore, developing and expanding human potential has to be the national mission of the next decade. The per capita product in resource-scarce Israel is 40% greater than in rich Saudi Arabia. The reason is simple: human resources produce much more than oil resources. And, despite its accomplishments, Israel is still far from fully utilizing its potential.
The Lie Industry
Here we arrive at the biggest paradox of all: even though Israel could be number one in the world in contributing to humanity, were there such an index, it also occupies first place in the hostility index. Israel is perceived, according to many polls (the last of which was a worldwide BBC survey) as the country most dangerous to world peace.
Leading newspapers throughout the world - The New York Times; The Washington Post; Le Monde; and The Guardian - when mentioning Israel's 60th anniversary, chose to completely disregard Israel’s contribution to human development and to emphasize instead "ethnic cleansing and the Palestinian Nakba." Here as well, they do not let the facts confuse them (see And the World is Lying - the Plight of the Refugees).
The paradox between Israel's contribution to the world and its image indicates only one thing: the lie industry is winning out over the facts. In fact, the Israel-Arab conflict has wrought the lowest number of victims in the annals of all conflicts. That does not keep the lie industry from spreading the libel that Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinians - even though there is no genocide and never was (see And the World is Silent).
Criticizing Israel is permissible. Not all its actions are praiseworthy. Yet every intellectual and liberal who is still influenced by facts and not by fashion has to admit that the anti-Zionist vogue will go down in history as one of humankind’s lowest trends, matched only by phenomena such as racism and antisemitism. So, it is time to introduce the real Israel - an Israel that can proudly observe its 60th year, due mainly to its enormous contribution to humanity.
Israel does not need a military parade. It needs a parade of its achievements. We could call it a Pride Parade.
Israel is one of the leading countries in agriculture, high-tech, medicine and science. Maybe the world needs to be reminded of this.
Anyone who reads newspapers could be forgiven for thinking that Israel is a dangerous place ruled by violence and corruption. The celebration of Israel's 60th anniversary provides an opportunity to take stock of our achievements. The facts speak for themselves.
The Contribution to Humanity Index
There are quite a few measures by which countries are rated: national product, life expectancy, education, etc. There is no index measuring a specific country's contribution to humanity. That kind of index is long overdue. Whoever gets confused by facts is in for some surprises. Here is a partial list:
Agriculture: Israel leads the world in developing strains resistant to natural hazards and special crops to withstand harsh weather conditions. Israel invented the drip irrigation system, which saves tremendous amounts of water. Milk yield in Israel is the highest in the world, even double the European average. In Israel, a palm tree produces an average of 182 kg of fruit, compared to 17 kg in the rest of the Middle East.
Since the establishment of the state, the area of agricultural land has increased threefold, but output has increased by a factor of 16. Ashkelon boasts the world's largest desalination facility - unless Hamas's rockets manage to hit it, so that they can complain about a water crisis in the Gaza Strip.
High-tech: A significant part of the leading high-tech developments in the world are Israeli inventions. The first disk-on-key was an Israeli innovation. The ICQ instant messaging program, which has become an integral part of every computer the world over, was developed in Israel. The best security software in the world comes from Israel.
Most of the Windows XP operating system that is used in almost every computer worldwide was developed in Israel. VOIP technology (Voice over Internet Protocol, the basis for programs like Skype), making international telephone calls simple, inexpensive and readily available, was developed in Israel. It is no coincidence that every other day we hear about yet another Israeli company being acquired by a conglomerate.
Israel is in second place in the world, after Japan and ahead of the United States, in the number of patents per capita. If you check the effectiveness of the inventions, we actually take the lead. Out of the one hundred most important start-ups selected in Europe last year, ten were Israeli.
Science: Israel is in third place in the world in scientific publications per capita. And, when considering the importance of the publications as opposed to relative quantity, Israel is in 14th place in the world. This includes realms that benefit all of humanity - research in medicine, physics, mathematics and others.
Israel reached fifth place in the number of recipients of special grants for young researchers from the ERC (European Research Council). But, relative to its size, it actually takes first place in the number of winning researchers.
Medicine: Teva is the largest company in the world for generic medicines. There are probably few homes worldwide without some "Made in Israel" medication. Teva and other companies also develop new drugs. Teva developed a drug to treat Parkinson's disease. Israel participated in developing a treatment to reduce relapses of multiple sclerosis.
Just two years ago, Pfizer, the world’s largest pharmaceutical company, purchased an Israel company’s product that can prevent blindness. Israel leads in the field integrating nanorobotics and medicine.
And this is only a partial list.
Human potential
Not everything is wonderful in Israel. Many people have been left behind. The gaps in Israeli society are among the largest in democratic countries. Too few have control over too much of the capital. Therefore, developing and expanding human potential has to be the national mission of the next decade. The per capita product in resource-scarce Israel is 40% greater than in rich Saudi Arabia. The reason is simple: human resources produce much more than oil resources. And, despite its accomplishments, Israel is still far from fully utilizing its potential.
The Lie Industry
Here we arrive at the biggest paradox of all: even though Israel could be number one in the world in contributing to humanity, were there such an index, it also occupies first place in the hostility index. Israel is perceived, according to many polls (the last of which was a worldwide BBC survey) as the country most dangerous to world peace.
Leading newspapers throughout the world - The New York Times; The Washington Post; Le Monde; and The Guardian - when mentioning Israel's 60th anniversary, chose to completely disregard Israel’s contribution to human development and to emphasize instead "ethnic cleansing and the Palestinian Nakba." Here as well, they do not let the facts confuse them (see And the World is Lying - the Plight of the Refugees).
The paradox between Israel's contribution to the world and its image indicates only one thing: the lie industry is winning out over the facts. In fact, the Israel-Arab conflict has wrought the lowest number of victims in the annals of all conflicts. That does not keep the lie industry from spreading the libel that Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinians - even though there is no genocide and never was (see And the World is Silent).
Criticizing Israel is permissible. Not all its actions are praiseworthy. Yet every intellectual and liberal who is still influenced by facts and not by fashion has to admit that the anti-Zionist vogue will go down in history as one of humankind’s lowest trends, matched only by phenomena such as racism and antisemitism. So, it is time to introduce the real Israel - an Israel that can proudly observe its 60th year, due mainly to its enormous contribution to humanity.
Israel does not need a military parade. It needs a parade of its achievements. We could call it a Pride Parade.
What is the IHH?
http://www.jpost.com/LandedPages/PrintArticle.aspx?id=177167
What is the IHH?
By BEN HARTMAN01/06/2010
The Turkish charity that helped plan the Gaza flotilla may be linked to Jihadist groups.
The IHH, a Turkish charity that was one of the main planners of the Gaza flotilla, is widely considered a terrorist organization by a number of bodies - including the Israeli government - and has been accused of maintaining ties with a number of terror organizations.The IHH, short for the Foundation for Human Rights and Freedoms and Humanitarian Relief (Insani Yardim Vakfi), is an Islamic charity that was founded in the mid-90s to provide aid to Bosnia Muslims. Since then, it has been involved in charity operations in a number of Muslim and Middle Eastern countries, including Indonesia, Pakistan, Iraq, Lebanon and aid missions to the Palestinian territories.According to the Israeli NGO The Intelligence and Information Center, the IHH is affiliated with Hamas and the Union of the Good, an Islamic umbrella affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood.In 2006, a report issued by the Danish Institute for International Studies stated that during the 1990s the IHH maintained links with al-Qaida and a number of "global jihad networks." The report also said that the Turkish government launched an investigation into the IHH starting December 1997 after receiving intelligence that the IHH had bought automatic weapons from Islamist terrorists.The report said that following the revelation, the Turkish government launched a raid on the organization’s Istanbul offices, where they found weapons, explosives, and instructions for bomb-making. The report added that an examination of documents found at the IHH office indicated that the group was planning to take part in terrorist activities in Afghanistan, Chechnya, and Bosnia.According to the study, a French intelligence report found that in the mid-1990s IHH leader B’ulent Yildirim recruited soldiers for jihad activities in a number of Muslim countries and that the IHH transferred money, firearms, and explosives to jihadists in said countries.
Izzet Sahnin, an employee of the IHH was arrested by the security services outside Bethlehem in April for what the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) said was suspicion that he “was working for an extended period of time in Judea and Samaria for the Turkish organization IHH, which Israel declared illegal in 2008.”The Shin Bet added that they suspected Sahnin’s activities “endangered West Bank security”.Following the arrest, the IHH posted a press statement on its Web site that said “Izzet Sahin, who has been living in West Bank since the 28th of November, 2009 [and is] a student of [the] Hebrew University, was taken into custody in an illegal manner on the 27th of April, 2010. First court hearing of Izzet Sahin was held last week... Officials from IHH demand [that the] Turkish government interfere to ensure Sahin’s release.”The Turkish government has denied assisting the IHH in its planning or funding of the Gaza flotilla.
What is the IHH?
By BEN HARTMAN01/06/2010
The Turkish charity that helped plan the Gaza flotilla may be linked to Jihadist groups.
The IHH, a Turkish charity that was one of the main planners of the Gaza flotilla, is widely considered a terrorist organization by a number of bodies - including the Israeli government - and has been accused of maintaining ties with a number of terror organizations.The IHH, short for the Foundation for Human Rights and Freedoms and Humanitarian Relief (Insani Yardim Vakfi), is an Islamic charity that was founded in the mid-90s to provide aid to Bosnia Muslims. Since then, it has been involved in charity operations in a number of Muslim and Middle Eastern countries, including Indonesia, Pakistan, Iraq, Lebanon and aid missions to the Palestinian territories.According to the Israeli NGO The Intelligence and Information Center, the IHH is affiliated with Hamas and the Union of the Good, an Islamic umbrella affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood.In 2006, a report issued by the Danish Institute for International Studies stated that during the 1990s the IHH maintained links with al-Qaida and a number of "global jihad networks." The report also said that the Turkish government launched an investigation into the IHH starting December 1997 after receiving intelligence that the IHH had bought automatic weapons from Islamist terrorists.The report said that following the revelation, the Turkish government launched a raid on the organization’s Istanbul offices, where they found weapons, explosives, and instructions for bomb-making. The report added that an examination of documents found at the IHH office indicated that the group was planning to take part in terrorist activities in Afghanistan, Chechnya, and Bosnia.According to the study, a French intelligence report found that in the mid-1990s IHH leader B’ulent Yildirim recruited soldiers for jihad activities in a number of Muslim countries and that the IHH transferred money, firearms, and explosives to jihadists in said countries.
Izzet Sahnin, an employee of the IHH was arrested by the security services outside Bethlehem in April for what the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) said was suspicion that he “was working for an extended period of time in Judea and Samaria for the Turkish organization IHH, which Israel declared illegal in 2008.”The Shin Bet added that they suspected Sahnin’s activities “endangered West Bank security”.Following the arrest, the IHH posted a press statement on its Web site that said “Izzet Sahin, who has been living in West Bank since the 28th of November, 2009 [and is] a student of [the] Hebrew University, was taken into custody in an illegal manner on the 27th of April, 2010. First court hearing of Izzet Sahin was held last week... Officials from IHH demand [that the] Turkish government interfere to ensure Sahin’s release.”The Turkish government has denied assisting the IHH in its planning or funding of the Gaza flotilla.
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