Tweet
LIEBERMAN: EXACT A PRICE FROM TURKEY
Arutz Sheva
Sept 9 2011
Israel
Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman plans to adopt measures that will
show Turkey is must treat Israel with 'respect and common decency.'
Israel news photo: Flash 90Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman has
decided to adopt a series of reciprocal measures in response to
Turkey's latest anti-Israeli moves.
Senior Foreign Ministry officials convened Thursday to prepare for a
meeting on Saturday with Lieberman dedicated to formulating a 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 said in their estimation
Turkey is not, as it claims, interested in an Israeli apology and is
instead exploiting the dispute with Jerusalem to increase Ankara's
stature in the Muslim world.
Lieberman, officials say, decided there was no point in seeking
creative formulas for apologizing and chose, instead, to protect
Israel's dignity with a muscular response.
But whereas Turkish moves appear to telegraph a direct, potentially
military confrontation, Leiberman's moves are aimed at dealing a blow
to Turkey's international standing.
In that vein the Foreign Ministry has 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,
even for connecting flights.
Another move would be cooperation with Turkey's historic rivals,
the Armenians. During Lieberman's upcoming visit to the United States
later this month he 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 recognition of,
and assistance in promoting international recognition for, the
Armenian genocide. A measure certain to incense Ankara who fears
broad recognition would hurt its global stature. Israel may also
choose to back Armenia in its dispute vis-a-vis Turkey over control
of Mount Ararat.
Lieberman is also reportedly 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 are likely to ask Israel for military
aid in the form of training and arms supplies, a move that would
mean backing a foreign insurgency and constitute a major anti-Turkish
position should it materialize.
However, violent clashes between Turkey and the Kurds are only one
avenue of advancing the narrative Ankara is violating human rights.
Another tactic vis-a-vis Erdogan is a diplomatic campaign where
Israeli missions worldwide will be instructed to join the fight and
report Turkish oppression of 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 international forecast
at this time is not promising, adding that Ankara is embroiled in
tensions with 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 must treat us
with respect and common decency."
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/147722
Arutz Sheva
Sept 9 2011
Israel
Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman plans to adopt measures that will
show Turkey is must treat Israel with 'respect and common decency.'
Israel news photo: Flash 90Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman has
decided to adopt a series of reciprocal measures in response to
Turkey's latest anti-Israeli moves.
Senior Foreign Ministry officials convened Thursday to prepare for a
meeting on Saturday with Lieberman dedicated to formulating a 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 said in their estimation
Turkey is not, as it claims, interested in an Israeli apology and is
instead exploiting the dispute with Jerusalem to increase Ankara's
stature in the Muslim world.
Lieberman, officials say, decided there was no point in seeking
creative formulas for apologizing and chose, instead, to protect
Israel's dignity with a muscular response.
But whereas Turkish moves appear to telegraph a direct, potentially
military confrontation, Leiberman's moves are aimed at dealing a blow
to Turkey's international standing.
In that vein the Foreign Ministry has 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,
even for connecting flights.
Another move would be cooperation with Turkey's historic rivals,
the Armenians. During Lieberman's upcoming visit to the United States
later this month he 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 recognition of,
and assistance in promoting international recognition for, the
Armenian genocide. A measure certain to incense Ankara who fears
broad recognition would hurt its global stature. Israel may also
choose to back Armenia in its dispute vis-a-vis Turkey over control
of Mount Ararat.
Lieberman is also reportedly 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 are likely to ask Israel for military
aid in the form of training and arms supplies, a move that would
mean backing a foreign insurgency and constitute a major anti-Turkish
position should it materialize.
However, violent clashes between Turkey and the Kurds are only one
avenue of advancing the narrative Ankara is violating human rights.
Another tactic vis-a-vis Erdogan is a diplomatic campaign where
Israeli missions worldwide will be instructed to join the fight and
report Turkish oppression of 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 international forecast
at this time is not promising, adding that Ankara is embroiled in
tensions with 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 must treat us
with respect and common decency."
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/147722