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Erdoğan resents US inaction over Israeli killing of Furkan
On May 31, Israeli commandos killed one US national and eight Turkish peace activists when they boarded the Mavi Marmara, part of a six-vessel convoy that set out to challenge the blockade of the Gaza Strip. Israel's attack triggered international outcry and further damaged Israel's already strained ties with Turkey.
“It is significant that the US administration has not taken action regarding Furkan Doğan. We expect them to follow this case,” Erdoğan said, asking, “Are you not defending Furkan's rights because he was Turkish?”
Erdoğan, speaking at a joint press conference with his Serbian counterpart, Mirko Cvetkovic, has stated once again that Turkey has no intention of letting Israel get away with its “pirate-like” and “barbarous” attack that led to death of civilians. He said he had discussed the issue with US President Barack Obama as well, who, he said, seems to have understood Turkey’s concerns well.
“Obama has made statements which basically mean say that we are justified and that he shares our views,” Erdoğan said, referring to a bilateral meeting he held with Obama in late June in Toronto on the sidelines of the G-20 summit.
“Obama had told us that he would share these views in his meeting with [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu on July 7. I don’t think what the press reported [of the content of the meeting between Obama and Netanyahu] is the truth of the matter,” he added.
Erdoğan questioned the accuracy of the media’s account of the Obama-Netanyahu meeting, of which it was widely reported that Turkey’s determination to take measures to protect its citizens’ rights if Israel fails to apologize or accept an international inquiry was not put on the agenda of the meeting by the US president.
“I’m saying it very clearly: The Mavi Marmara and those on board who were carrying medicine and games for children were subject to a barbarous and pirate-like attack in international waters. We will never give up pursuing this point,” Erdoğan said, noting that Ankara has been closely following developments regarding a fact-finding mission to be established by the UN Human Rights Council and the UN secretary-general’s preparations for establishing an international commission.
“As politicians, we have to know one thing: We are obliged to rule with justice. We are obliged to protect the rights of the people of our countries until the end. This is true for the US president and this is true for the Turkish Republic’s prime minister. Our people are entrusted to us,” he said.
In Israel on Monday, the media reported on the findings of a military inquiry which revealed that Israel’s military failed to prepare adequately for what turned into a deadly raid on the aid flotilla. An official report on the May 31 incident was set to be released later in the day by a military commission led by Giora Eiland, a retired Israeli general.
Quoting from what it said were portions of the military commission’s report, the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper said the findings pointed to a “flawed preparation [in intelligence] prior to the arrival” of the Mavi Marmara. The “battle guidelines” issued to commandos who raided the vessel were said to be as flawed as the intelligence.
Yedioth Ahronoth and other Israeli media outlets reported that the Eiland commission’s report would not call for the resignation of any military personnel. However, the findings have led to speculation over whether senior officers’ careers could be affected.
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