Turkey downgrades diplomatic ties with Israel after UN report leak

Dubbing Israel's current stance “a position devoid of strategy,” Gül spoke to the media on Friday hours after Ankara announced the sanctions to be imposed on Israel due to the country's refusal to comply with Turkish demands for compensation, an apology and the lifting of the Gaza blockade. Turkey considers the demands critical for the normalization of relations between the two countries, which experienced their all-time low following the Israeli raid on the Gaza-bound charity ship the Mavi Marmara in international waters. The flotilla raid killed eight Turkish and one Turkish-American peace activists onboard the ship, which was carrying humanitarian aid to the Gazans.

“It seems they [Israel] have not been able to comprehend Turkey's determination to show that the rights of our citizens will be protected to the end and the things that happened have not been forgotten,” Gül told reporters and warned: “The steps we have announced today are the initial measures. Others may follow, depending on Israel's attitude and the course of events in the future.” The president also called on the “allies of Israel” to warn the country that “in order to reach peace and stability in the region, there are steps Israel needs to take.”

Gül's remarks follow Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu's announcement on Friday that Turkey would be downgrading its diplomatic presence in Israel and freezing military deals with the country in the immediate aftermath of the leaked details of the UN-led Palmer Report, which triggered intense criticism from Turkey.

The country has demanded an apology and compensation from Israel, as well as the removal of the Gaza blockade, before the countries can finally normalize their relations. The report, made public by media outlets on Thursday, revealed that it considered the Israeli navy’s blockade of Gaza a legal action, while deeming the Israeli interference “unreasonable killing” of civilians; however, it merely suggested that the country pay compensation to the families of the deceased activists slain on the ship. The report was initially set to be released in February, but faced multiple delays meant to give the countries an opportunity to come to an agreement without the disruption the findings may cause.

“The requests for the delays came from Israel every single time,” Davutoğlu said in a press conference on Friday, where he explained that Israel needed the extensions to sort out the deadlock in the Israeli cabinet. “We have held four sessions with Israeli officials to come to an agreement,” the foreign minister said and noted that some of the sessions yielded results agreeable to both parties. “However, the agreements were delayed with the aim of reaching an internal consensus in Israel.”

Holding Israeli administration “the sole responsible” for the deadlock, Davutoğlu stated that Turkey would be imposing sanctions on Israel as “it is now apparent that Israel is only trying to drag the process out with its perpetual requests to delay the report.” In the sanctions announced by the foreign minister, Turkey is projected to reduce the diplomatic relations to the level of second secretaries starting Wednesday, and put a hold on all military agreements between the countries, which have been significant partners in the field, with military contracts soaring beyond $1 billion. The downgrade in diplomatic ties entitles Israel to withdraw its ambassador in Turkey, Gaby Levy, who was already in Israel and reportedly cancelled his plans to return after Ankara’s announcement. Turkey withdrew its ambassador in Israel in the immediate aftermath of the raid, but left the embassy operational at the level of envoy.

“Being the country with the longest coast on the East Mediterranean, Turkey will take every precaution it deems necessary for the freedom of navigation in the Mediterranean,” Davutoğlu told the press, without elaborating on what the precautions would mean for the Israeli navy, which interfered with the flotilla on Mediterranean high seas, a move Turkey furiously deemed to be in violation of international laws.

Outlining the course of action Turkey would take from Friday onwards, Davutoğlu noted that “Turkey does not recognize the blockade Israel has over Gaza. We will ensure that the blockade is investigated in the International courts.” The minister also announced that Turkey would “help the victims of the flotilla raid in any way it can” to claim their rights, a move Israel had feared would come if they issued the apology to the country for the loss of life aboard the Mavi Marmara.

Davutoğlu also indicated that “it is time for Israel to make a choice” and that true security could only be obtained with the establishment of true peace, a comment that referred to the blockade on Gaza, which Israel defends as a measure of security to block arms from reaching Hamas in Gaza. On the sidelines, he underscored that the precautions that have been taken and will be taken in the future solely target the Israeli administration, emphasizing that the purpose was not to harm the deeply rooted friendship between the people of Turkey and Israel.

Meanwhile, the Israeli Army Radio reported on Friday that Israeli security sources said Israel should have apologized to Turkey for its raid on the Mavi Marmara and paid reparations to the families of the activists who were killed in order to ensure that Turkey would not file criminal lawsuits against commandos from the navy’s Flotilla 13 and other senior officers.

The Mavi Marmara incident came on May 31, 2010 when Israeli commandoes raided a Turkish charity ship steering toward the blockade with the aim of running it in order to bring humanitarian supplies to civilians in Gaza, who have been living in severe circumstances that have provoked criticism from Turkey and the UN. Israel defends the blockade, also ruled lawful by the recent Palmer Report, saying that it is vital for the security of Israelis because of the threat of a potential assault from Gaza.