"We have to send humanitarian aid to Gaza and our aid will no longer be attacked as happened with the Flotilla. So the Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan Ankara opened a potentially explosive speech: "warships will have the task of protecting the Turkish boats carrying aid to Gaza". Erdogan did not state dates or deadlines for this decision and it is not clear whether we have convoys ready to head to Gaza. Clear is the meaning of political challenge to Israel, riaccesasi after the last week, the report that concluded the work of the Commission appointed by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon to make clarity on events related to the Freedom Flotilla, boarded by Israeli commandos in international waters in May 2010.Very cautious, so far, the Israeli Government's reaction to the new Turkish threats. Dan Meridor, Israel's Minister for intelligence, told Israeli military radio that "it is better to sit quietly and wait, we have no interest in aggravating the situation by replying to these verbal attacks".
The report of the Commission chaired by former New Zealand Prime Minister Geoffrey Palmer, determined that in their boarding the Flotilla – flagship of direct humanitarian aid convoy to Gaza to defy the Israeli embargo – Israeli commandos fired in self-defense, because they have met with "violent resistance and organized" by some passengers of the ship. But he also determined that the Israeli Government's decision to board the flotilla so far from the waters where the block is in force and with such force, was "unreasonable and excessive." The blitz has cost the lives of a US citizen of Turkish origin and eight activists of the pro-Palestinian Turks, IHH religious Ngo. An organization that, according to the report, "remain strong doubts" about the real purpose.
The Commission Palmer, however, had also recommended to Israel "an adequate expression of regret" to victims of the blitz and agree to pay compensation to the families of the victims to be paid to a trust fund administered jointly by the two Governments. The Turkey has repeatedly asked Israel to respect this indication, but the Government led by premier Benyamin Netanyahu has decided not to do so. According to the Israeli press on the eve of the dissemination of the report Palmer there has also been a meeting of the eight most important Government Ministers who voted on whether or not to apologize to Turkey. Four, including the holder of defence Ehud Barak, have said yes and four have said no. Netanyahu did not vote but its position, contrary to the apology, was already known.
After the publication of the report, the Turkish Government decided to lower the level of diplomatic relations with Israel and expel the Israeli Ambassador in Ankara. Last week, the Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu announced as retaliation for the freezing of all contracts of war – Turkey and Israel were excellent partners for the defence-related industries and military cooperation agreements, and has arrived to threaten to block all trade between the two countries. According to a recent estimate of the Israeli Chamber of Commerce, in the first eight months of 2011, trade with Turkey – booming economy with GDP growth over the 10 per cent-grew by 40 percent compared to 2010 and arrived at 950 million dollars.
Davutoglu had also said that Turkey was committed to bring down the most controversial topic of Palmer, who in his report argued that the Israeli naval blockade against Gaza is legal, because Israel "legitimately" may prevent the sea gets weapons for Palestinian armed groups. From the words of Erdogan, however, it appears that the full rise in Turkey as analogue country for the new democratic movements, has no intention to attempt a test of strength in the Eastern Mediterranean before looking for legal ways to get to the end of the Israeli blockade on Gaza.
The Commission concluded the report inviting Palmer, the two countries to resume normal diplomatic relations "in the interest of stability in the Middle East and international security". Is a Council that so far remains unheard.
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