Today’s Zaman, Turkey
Jan 31 2009

Today’s Zaman readers welcome ErdoÄ?an’s exchange with Peres

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip ErdoÄ?an’s reaction to the
passionate defense by Israel President Shimon Peres of the Israeli
military’s attack on Gaza at a World Economic Forum panel discussion
about Gaza was well received by spectators both in Turkey and abroad.

Many hailed ErdoÄ?an’s stand and described as "heroic," yet a
few criticized him as "being less than diplomatic." "I think it is the
first time a Turkish prime minister has reacted in a manner like
that," said Mehmet Ã?olakoÄ?lu in a comment he left at

`I congratulate Mr. ErdoÄ?an,’ he went on to say, adding, `It is
the time to break some obstacles to announce [what is] right.’ John
Ketseas described the speech as `the conscience of the entire world,
not just Turkey.’ Hundreds of readers from the Middle East were more
enthusiastic in their comments about ErdoÄ?an and cheered
him. Recalling his Turkish great-grandparents, Professor Motaz Abouel
Azm said: `I am so proud of ErdoÄ?an. He has changed 100 percent
the view of Turkey in our Arab countries.’ `Turkey [is] once more the
jewel in the crown of the east,’ he added.

Another reader, identifying himself just as Ahmed from Gaza, thanked
ErdoÄ?an for supporting the Palestinian cause and noted, `We do
thank and acknowledge this tremendous position that stands by the
humanitarian principles that the West is claiming.’ `Nicely done,’
wrote Cem Arda, stressing that `it was truly a democratic reaction to
[the] shameless Israeli aggression towards the innocent in the
region.’

Jihad Saleem from Caterham, UK, wrote, `I salute the prime minister of
Turkey and the people of Turkey for standing up against the arrogant
and non-peaceful [men] like Perez.’ He said, `Mr. ErdoÄ?an
showed himself as a very respectable gentleman despite Perez’s raised
voice.’

Some readers were critical of panel moderator David Ignatius, a
columnist with The Washington Post, who cut short ErdoÄ?an’s
answer to Peres. Zeynep Elbasan said, `The moderator’s behavior was
rude,’ considering he was only allowed to speak for 12 minutes, less
than half of Perez. She said nearly every Turkish citizen appreciated
ErdoÄ?an’s action. Another slammed Ignatius, who tried to cut
ErdoÄ?an off by saying, `We need to go to dinner,’ a few
times. `God bless ErdoÄ?an. At least he knew that [the] killing
of innocents is more important than that dinner,’ the commentator
wrote.

Another asked for the recall of the Turkish ambassador from Israel and
the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador from Turkey. He wrote,
`Material action [is] needed to give credence to ErdoÄ?an’s
opposition and anger to [the] Israeli slaughtering [of] Palestinian
children before the eyes ¦ of the whole world.’ Mehmet Ä°zzet
SaÄ?lam from Tel Aviv wrote, `I am proud of our prime minister,
ErdoÄ?an one more time.’

A Pakistani reader by the name of Aijaz noted, `My salute to [the]
prime minister of Turkey. Neither my prime minister nor [the] Arab
League have [had the] courage to [do] the same.’ Doron Efrati, on the
other hand, was very critical of ErdoÄ?an, calling him a
`fundamental extreme Muslim,’ and warned that `Israel will consider
this week [the] recognition [of] the Armenian Holocaust of 1915.’

31 January 2009, Saturday
TODAY’S ZAMAN Ä°STANBUL

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