Turkey is threatening unspecified intervention if Israel again uses military action to prevent a flotilla, organized in part by Turkish Islamist groups, from reaching Gaza. Via AFP:
Turkey on Saturday warned Israel against another act of bloodshed in international waters after activists announced plans to send a new aid flotilla to the blockaded Gaza Strip.
“It should be known that Turkey will give the necessary response to any repeated act of provocation by Israel on the high seas,” Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said in an interview on NTV television.
“Those who believe Turkey should take certain steps to stop (the new flotilla) must first warn Israel not to repeat the human tragedy it caused last year,” he said.
On May 31 last year, Israeli marines swarmed aboard the Turkish flagship of an international aid flotilla bound for Gaza, killing nine Turks in international waters and plunging ties with Ankara into deep crisis.
The Istanbul-based Islamist charity which had spearheaded the mission said Friday that a new convoy of ships would sail to Gaza in the last week of June.
Around 1,500 activists from more than 100 countries will take part in the convoy, organised by 22 civic groups, it said.
Turkey seems to be in a mood to make threats lately.
As I reported on Monday, Turkey also is threatening to scuttle a U.N. Report on the May 2010 flotilla because the initial draft found that Israel had a right to act in international waters against the flotilla (although the draft criticized Israel for using excessive force).
This all is just a continuation of the downward spiral in Turkey’s conduct in the region, from a force for stability to a force for provocation.
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