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LIEBERMAN HITS BACK AT ERDOGAN, SAYS HIS GOVERNMENT SUPPORTS TERROR
Today's Zaman
Sept 27 2011
Turkey
In strong remarks against Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's
recent criticism of Israel during an interview with CNN International,
Israeli Foreign Minister Avidgor Lieberman accused Erdogan's government
of "supporting and nurturing terror."
"Anyone who saw CNN yesterday saw Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan once
again verbally attack the state of Israel," said Lieberman. "We have
no problems with Turkey who, for years was a friendly country, we were
partners and cooperated in a number of fields including defense and
economy," he was quoted as saying by Israel's Ynet website on Tuesday.
"We certainly respect the Turkish nation and Turkey as a state, our
problem is first and foremost with the current Turkish leadership
-- the radical and extremist Islamist leadership that supports and
nurtures terror," he added.
Lieberman also argued that Erdogan's appearance on CNN Sunday was
"excellent" for Israel. "If you ask what we can do PR wise, I'd buy
each and every media outlet and let Erdogan speak all day and all
night. Every time he speaks on TV he brings more support for the
state of Israel," he said.
During the CNN interview, Erdogan said Turkey's relations with Israel
will not normalize unless the current atmosphere changes considerably.
"Turkish-Israeli relations are broken due to tension Israel itself
escalated, which began with the Israeli raid on a flotilla carrying
humanitarian aid to Gaza," Erdogan said.
The Turkish prime minister, known to be highly critical of Israel's
policies regarding Palestine, said Israel has killed hundreds and
thousands of Palestinians, while Palestinian rockets and bombs have
killed only a few Israelis. He also accused Israel of using the
Holocaust to perpetuate the idea that "they are the victims all
the time."
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was highly critical of
Erdogan's CNN remarks, saying his claims are "outrageous and false."
"These are outrageous charges against Israel that have nothing to do
with the facts," Netanyahu told the Jerusalem Post.
Netanyahu argued that "Israel has lost thousands of its citizens
to Palestinian terrorism, and certainly has not taken the lives of
hundreds of thousands of Palestinians." "I regret that we hear these
statements from the leader of Turkey," he added.
Regarding Erdogan's comments about the Holocaust, Netanyahu said,
"We don't use the Holocaust; the Holocaust was the worst crime in
history perpetuated against our people." "To hear this allegation
at the beginning of the 21st century, just 60 years after Holocaust,
is outrageous," he added.
Relations between Turkey and Israel, two close US allies in the region,
have soured since Israeli forces boarded the Gaza-bound Mavi Marmara
aid ship in May 2010. Ankara downgraded ties and vowed to boost naval
patrols in the Eastern Mediterranean in the escalating row. Turkey
has demanded compensation and an apology from Israel regarding the
deadly flotilla attack, but Israel refuses to do so.
Today's Zaman
Sept 27 2011
Turkey
In strong remarks against Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's
recent criticism of Israel during an interview with CNN International,
Israeli Foreign Minister Avidgor Lieberman accused Erdogan's government
of "supporting and nurturing terror."
"Anyone who saw CNN yesterday saw Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan once
again verbally attack the state of Israel," said Lieberman. "We have
no problems with Turkey who, for years was a friendly country, we were
partners and cooperated in a number of fields including defense and
economy," he was quoted as saying by Israel's Ynet website on Tuesday.
"We certainly respect the Turkish nation and Turkey as a state, our
problem is first and foremost with the current Turkish leadership
-- the radical and extremist Islamist leadership that supports and
nurtures terror," he added.
Lieberman also argued that Erdogan's appearance on CNN Sunday was
"excellent" for Israel. "If you ask what we can do PR wise, I'd buy
each and every media outlet and let Erdogan speak all day and all
night. Every time he speaks on TV he brings more support for the
state of Israel," he said.
During the CNN interview, Erdogan said Turkey's relations with Israel
will not normalize unless the current atmosphere changes considerably.
"Turkish-Israeli relations are broken due to tension Israel itself
escalated, which began with the Israeli raid on a flotilla carrying
humanitarian aid to Gaza," Erdogan said.
The Turkish prime minister, known to be highly critical of Israel's
policies regarding Palestine, said Israel has killed hundreds and
thousands of Palestinians, while Palestinian rockets and bombs have
killed only a few Israelis. He also accused Israel of using the
Holocaust to perpetuate the idea that "they are the victims all
the time."
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was highly critical of
Erdogan's CNN remarks, saying his claims are "outrageous and false."
"These are outrageous charges against Israel that have nothing to do
with the facts," Netanyahu told the Jerusalem Post.
Netanyahu argued that "Israel has lost thousands of its citizens
to Palestinian terrorism, and certainly has not taken the lives of
hundreds of thousands of Palestinians." "I regret that we hear these
statements from the leader of Turkey," he added.
Regarding Erdogan's comments about the Holocaust, Netanyahu said,
"We don't use the Holocaust; the Holocaust was the worst crime in
history perpetuated against our people." "To hear this allegation
at the beginning of the 21st century, just 60 years after Holocaust,
is outrageous," he added.
Relations between Turkey and Israel, two close US allies in the region,
have soured since Israeli forces boarded the Gaza-bound Mavi Marmara
aid ship in May 2010. Ankara downgraded ties and vowed to boost naval
patrols in the Eastern Mediterranean in the escalating row. Turkey
has demanded compensation and an apology from Israel regarding the
deadly flotilla attack, but Israel refuses to do so.