Hürriyet, Turkey
Feb 14 2009

Turkey delivers diplomatic note to Israel over commander’s remarks

The Turkish Foreign Ministry delivered on Saturday a diplomatic note
to Israel concerning the harsh remarks of an Israeli general. In a
separate statement, the Turkish army said the remarks are in an extent
that could harm the bilateral relations.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement Saturday that Israeli
Ambassador to Ankara Gabby Levy had been summoned to the ministry by
the undersecretary regarding the general’s comments.

His remarks violated all forms of diplomatic practices, and
contradicted with the historical and current realities therefore these
"accusations and nonsensical talks" targeting prime minister and the
country had been protested by a note, the Turkish foreign ministry
said in a statement.

"Furthermore, we have stressed that the relevant statements of Avi
Mizrahi are ungrounded and unacceptable and as such we have requested
an urgent explanation from Israeli authorities," the statement added.

On Friday, the Israeli daily Haaretz reported that Maj. Gen. Avi
Mizrahi, a veteran professional officer, called on Turkish Prime
Minister Tayyip Erdogan to look in the mirror.

The Israeli General took a step further and accused Turkey of
"committing massacre of the Armenians as well as the suppression of
the Kurds". Mizrahi also mentioned the so-called Turkish occupation of
northern Cyprus, according to the report.

ARMY’S STATEMENT

The Turkish army issued a statement on Saturday to slam Mizrahi over
his words.

"These remarks, as the way they were published in the media reports,
are considered to be misleading the facts, unfortunate, unacceptable
and more importantly in an extent that could harm the national
interests between two countries," the army said in a statement posted
on its Web site.

The military also called on the Israeli army, "which is considered to
be attaching great importance to its relations with the Turkish Armed
Forces", to clarify Mizrahi’s statement.

Erdogan has harshly criticized Israel’s operations in Gaza which
killed more than 1,300 people dead. The relations strained after
Erdogan stormed out of a Gaza debate in Davos with Israeli President
Shimon Peres.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress