Turkey warns Israel it can send warships to the Mediterranean at moment’s notice
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday fired his visit to post-revolution Tunisia with the kind of trademark warning to Israel that has earned him hero status on his “Arab Spring tour.”
After a rapturous welcome in Cairo confirmed the Turkish leader's soaring regional popularity, Erdogan went to Tunisia, where the wave of pro-democracy revolts sweeping the Arab world began.
He said that Israel could not do whatever it wanted in the eastern Mediterranean and that Turkish warships could be sent there at any moment.
“Israel cannot do whatever it wants in the eastern Mediterranean. They will see what our decisions will be on this subject. Our navy attack ships can be there at any moment,” Erdogan told a news conference shortly after arriving in Tunis.
Turkey downgraded diplomatic ties with Israel and halted defense-related trade after the Jewish state confirmed last week it would not apologize for the raid on the Mavi Marmara ship which had attempted to break Israel's blockade on Gaza.
Turkey and Israel had tried to mend fences before the publication two weeks ago of a U.N. report that deemed the blockade of the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip a legal means to stem the flow of arms to Palestinians but also said Israel had used unreasonable force.
“Relations with Israel cannot normalize if Israel does not apologize over the flotilla raid, compensate the martyrs' families and lift the blockade of Gaza,” Erdogan said.
Ankara said it was prepared to escort any future Gaza-bound ship with naval ships.
Israel has said it will maintain the blockade and that it wants to ease tensions with its former ally.
The prospect of a showdown at sea with Turkey, a NATO power and, like Israel, an ally of the United States, rattled Israelis already on edge over political upheaval in the Arab world and Iran’s nuclear program. Washington has appealed for restraint.
Erdogan, seeking to expand Turkey’s regional influence, is on a tour of Egypt, Tunisia and Libya, where he has so far received an enthusiastic welcome. His criticism of Israeli has helped win him great popularity in Arab countries.
Around 4,000 people waving Turkish and Palestinian flags had also gathered at the airport under heavy security to show their support for the man who has grown to become one of the region's most popular leaders.
Relations with Israel cannot normalize if Israel does not apologize over the flotilla raid, compensate the martyrs' families and lift the blockade of GazaTurkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Erdogan was also expected to hold talks with Ennahda chairman Rached Ghannouchi.
Ghannouchi’s moderate Islamist party, which is expected to win Tunisia’s first post-revolution elections on October 23, claims inspiration from Erdogans Justice and Development Party.
Turkey was one of the first countries to support the popular uprising that started late last year and in January sent Zine el Abidine Ben Ali fleeing into exile after 23 years in power.
“Islam and democracy are not contradictory. A Muslim can run a state very successfully,” said Erdogan, whose administration is seen by many as a model for post-revolution Arab countries.
Islam and democracy are not contradictory. A Muslim can run a state very successfullyTurkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan