Turkish press review

In an exclusive story, the Sabah daily reported on an indictment regarding an Israeli raid of a Gaza-bound aid flotilla, often known as the “Mavi Marmara indictment.” The indictment was prepared by an İstanbul prosecutor and calls for the arrest and trial of Israeli officers in Turkey. The indictment calls for the arrest of former chief of General Staff Lt. Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi, former Israeli Navy commander Vice Adm. Eliezer Marom, former Air Forces intelligence officer Avishai Levi and former Israeli military intelligence chief Maj. Gen. Amos Yadlin. Sabah stated that the prosecutor had demanded that each of the suspects receives a life sentence for each victim. The paper recalled that nine people had died and that 114 others were wounded in the raid. Sabah said the indictment was expected to cause a major debate about international law since it was unprecedented.

The Türkiye daily said President Gül bluntly asked French President Francois Hollande why France has been obstructing Turkey's EU membership. The paper quoted Gül as saying he had bluntly asked Hollande what France's problem was with Turkey. According to the paper, Gül said: “On which matter do our interests contradict? None. Therefore, I told him that we need to open a new page and launch a new period.” Türkiye also quoted Gül as saying Hollande said he saw Turkey as an important country in Asia, Africa and other places and that he was following economic developments in Turkey. According to the paper, Gül said: “I am sure he will make an honest assessment. Our relations can be improved rapidly.” The Yeni Şafak daily referred to other remarks by Gül regarding unmanned air vehicles. The paper quoted Gül as telling US President Barack Obama that if Predators were dangerous weapons, F-35s were even more dangerous, but Turkey was purchasing F-35s and was a partner in manufacturing them. Yeni Şafak also quoted Gül as saying, “If someone comes and tells us to improve our relations with Israel, we will stop him, even if this person is Obama, and we tell him to tell Israel to improve their relations.”

Moreover, Yeni Şafak referred to Erdoğan's visit to Pakistan and reported that the Turkish premier was welcomed with a surprise at Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani's residence. The paper wrote that after playing the national anthems of both Turkey and Pakistan, the military band played the “Samanyolu” song that Erdoğan used during his election campaign.