Israel will be excluded from the exercise amidst tensions in Turkish-Israeli relations following a violent Israeli commando attack on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla that left nine Turkish peace activists dead and dozens more wounded.
“The Anatolian Eagle drill will take place on June 7-18, 2010, at the 3rd Main Jet Base Command [in Konya] during daytime hours. The aim of the drill is to boost the abilities of national and foreign power to launch joint operations and train them to that end,” the General Staff statement read. The announcement noted that Turkey, the United States, the United Arab Emirates, Italy and Spain would be participating in the drill.
Last year, the Turkish military cancelled the Anatolian Eagle’s international segment in a move widely seen as a way to exclude Israel from the exercise. The cancellation then sparked tension between Israel and Turkey and was reportedly caused by a delay in the delivery of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to Turkey by Israel -- and not by Turkish disapproval of Israel’s devastating offensive against the Gaza Strip in the winter of 2008/2009, as many had speculated.
