Israel’s Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman has decided to adopt a series of harsh measures in response to Turkey’s latest anti-Israeli moves, Yedioth Ahronoth reported Friday.
Senior Foreign Ministry officials planned to meet over the weekend to discussing Israel’s response to Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan‘s recent threats and his decision to downgrade Ankara’s diplomatic ties with Jerusalem.
Following Thursday’s meeting, officials assessed that Turkey is not interested in an Israeli apology at this time and prefers to exploit the dispute with Jerusalem in order to promote Ankara’s status in the Muslim world. Lieberman therefore decided there was no point in seeking creative formulas for apologizing, instead choosing to focus Israel’s efforts on punishing Turkey.
The Foreign Ministry has now decided to proceed with the formulation of a diplomatic and security “toolbox” to be used against the Turks. The first move would be to issue a travel warning urging all Israeli military veterans to refrain from traveling to Turkey. The advisory will be especially harsh as it will also urge Israelis to refrain from boarding connections in Turkey.
Another planned Israeli move is the facilitation of cooperation with Turkey’s historic rivals, the Armenians. During Lieberman’s visit to the United States this month, the foreign minister is expected to meet with leaders of the Armenian lobby and propose anti-Turkish cooperation in Congress.
The implication of this move could be Israeli assistance in promoting international recognition of the Armenian holocaust, a measure that would gravely harm Turkey. Israel may also back Armenia in its dispute vis-à-vis Turkey over control of Mount Ararat.
‘Turkey better show respect’
Lieberman is also planning to set meetings with the heads of Kurdish rebel group PKK in Europe in order to “cooperate with them and boost them in every possible area.” In these meetings, the Kurds may ask Israel for military aid in the form of training and arms supplies, a move that would constitute a major anti-Turkish position should it materialize.
However, the violent clashes between Turkey and the Kurds only constitute one reason prompting accusations that Ankara is violating human rights. Hence, another means in Lieberman’s “toolbox” vis-à-vis Erdogan is a diplomatic campaign where Israeli missions worldwide will be instructed to join the fight and report illegal Turkish moves against minorities.
The tough response formulated by Lieberman stems, among other things, from the foreign minister’s desire to make it clear to Erdogan that his anti-Israeli moves are not a “one-way street.”
Officials in Jerusalem also noted that Turkey’s global status at this time is not promising as it is, adding that Ankara is embroiled in tensions vis-à-vis NATO and Greece, while Erdogan’s relations with Syria and Iran are also not favorable.
“We’ll exact a price from Erdogan that will prove to him that messing with Israel doesn’t pay off,” Lieberman said. “Turkey better treat us with respect and common decency.”
gives $50,000.00 stimulus money to Betty Shabazz Black Muslim activist school in Chicago,supports the Al Qaeda takeover of Libya, and demands Israel apologize to Turkey for defending itself from the Hamas flotilla.while he reads the 46th psalm from the teleprompter …
hey everybody.
the real move to do in this case is not to do anything with armenia just cut off all connections with turkey, take ur whole embassy out of there same with cairo and all arab countries, if u dont like our “aggression” dont come to our country!!! if u come with ur flotillas we blow u up simple as all that!!
Until this Erdogan guy was elected, Israel and Turkey had very good relations, even joint military exercises. The Turkish people are being dragged in the wrong direction by him. Israel currently maintains a similar relationship with India (the biggest buyer of Israeli arms.) The sad part is as follows: All three (Israel, India, Turkey) are independently more powerful than Iran (the 4th power in the “middle-region”). If they would only have formalized an alliance (as in NATO, SEATO, or the WW2 Allies, etc) The whole balance of power in the world would shift away from Russia and (yes, Obama’s mutilated… Read more »
Israel shouldn’t act childish and punish Turkey.
Israel should act in its own interests, wherever it may take them. But first and foremost, it should stand up for the security of it’s inhabitants whether that means retaking Gaza, Judea and Samaria.
Turkey is not a threat, it may no longer be a pleasant neighbor, but the focus should be on it’s real enemies.
I’ll be overjoyed to see ‘The Medina’ have a little ‘Jewish pride.’
When I see it, then I’ll believe it.
I just returned from ‘Eretz HaKodesh.’ I heard there’s still one soldier-victim of ‘The Mamara’ ship fiasco in the hospital.
This kind of attitude is what keeps getting the “good guy” in trouble! Enough! We have to stand up for ourselves.
What did we do?? Defend ourselves?
Our silence makes us look guilty.
Israel should demand from Syria, Iraq, Iran and Egypt the return of the wealth and homes of all the Jews that were thrown out penniless! Why does no one talk about this?
I think it’s disgusting that Israel bases is policies regarding Armenian genocide and Kurdish human rights on purely political considerations. What ever happened to the old Zionist motto of being a “light to the Nations?”
then we can talk to them.
I’m sure Turkey is shaking now. But an even better sanction would be to convince Americans to eat chicken on Thanksgiving.
Being strong and unbending is the best only/ way. Two eyes for an eye.The Rebbe explains hashkeim lehargo that just when the enemy sees you get up yo attack him, the enemy backs away before you actually are able to attack!
Nice and nasty!
B.H.
israel should have strong ties whith kurds in syria and iraq and enywhere else,as alot of kurds claim they come from jews