#1237 Pipes discusses "An Israeli Apology to Turkey" in NRO

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Please take a moment to visit and log in at the subscriber area, and submit your city & country location. We will use this information in future to invite you to any events that we organize in your area. An Israeli Apology to Turkey by Daniel Pipes March 22, 2013 Cross-posted from National Review Online, The Corner http://www.danielpipes.org/blog/2013/03/an-israeli-apology-to-turkey Send Comment RSS Share: Be the first of your friends to like this. On Feb. 27, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan told a conference in Vienna, "Just like Zionism, anti-Semitism and fascism, Islamophobia must be regarded as a crime against humanity." His calling the Jewish nationalist movement that built the State of Israel a "crime against humanity" prompted widespread criticism, including by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry. On Mar. 19, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced, "I stand behind my remarks in Vienna." Nonetheless, on Mar. 22, Binyamin Netanyahu issued the long-awaited apology to Turkey for the Mavi Marmara incident. His statement made it clear "that the tragic results regarding the Mavi Marmara were unintentional and that Israel expresses regret over injuries and loss of life. In light of the Israeli investigation into the incident, which pointed out several operational errors, Prime Minister Netanyahu apologized to the Turkish people for any errors that could have led to loss of life and agreed to complete the agreement on compensation." My take: Erdoğan's government has mastered the art of provocation and is being rewarded for it. The Israelis should not have apologized but should have demanded an apology from Ankara for its support to the terrorist-connected group that undertook this aggressive act. Now that the deed is done, can we expect a change in Turkish policy toward Israel, an end to its aggressive statements and support for its enemies? That would surprise me. Rather, I expect the AKP government to pocket this apology and use as a building block for its neo-Ottoman empire. (March 22, 2013) The Mavi Marmara in Dec. 2012, back quietly to plying the Bosphorus as a commuter vessel. Related Topics:  Israel & Zionism, Turkey and Turks This text may be reposted or forwarded so long as it is presented as an integral whole with complete and accurate information provided about its author, date, place of publication, and original URL.

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