PR-Inside.com (Pressemitteilung), Austria
Feb 14 2009
Turkey angered by comments made by Israeli general
2009-02-14 20:26:05 –
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) – Turkey’s foreign ministry summoned Israel’s
ambassador on Saturday to complain about a comment a senior Israeli
general had made criticizing Turkey. It was the latest development in
a growing war of words between the two U.S. allies.
After the meeting, Israel’s military issued a statement saying the
remarks that Israeli Maj.
Gen. Avi Mizrahi had made on Tuesday did not reflect Israel’s official
view.
Turkish officials were not immediately available for comment to
respond to the Israeli military’s statement.
Turkey’s foreign ministry summoned Israeli Ambassador Gabby Levy to
ask for an urgent explanation over comments that Mizrahi had made on
Tuesday at a military base in Israel. Turkish media said Mizrahi had
accused Turkey of killing Armenians in 1915, and of oppressing Kurds
and occupying Cyprus.
Turkey has long been Israel’s closest ally in the Muslim world, and it
has worked hard to try to mediate for peace in the Middle East, along
with Egypt and France.
Mizrahi’s remarks concerned very sensitive issues in Turkey and
angered its government.
They apparently were made in response to Turkish Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdogan who had sharply reprimanded Israeli President Shimon
Peres over civilian casualties during the Gaza war at the World
Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
«While referring to the criticism of Israel by Turkey, Gen. Mizrahi
made statements that could be interpreted as criticism of Turkey’s
past,» said a statement by Brig. Gen. Avi Benayahu, spokesman for the
Israel Defense Forces. «The IDF spokesperson wishes to clarify that
this is not the official position of the IDF.
Turkey’s foreign ministry issued a statement calling Mizrahi’s remarks
«baseless» and saying they contained «unacceptable allegations and
ravings» and that they were «directed against our prime minister.
Turkey’s Radikal newspaper reported Saturday that Mizrahi also
responded to Erdogan’s call that Israel should be barred from the
United Nations by saying that Turkey should be barred as well.
The Turkish military said Mizrahi’s remarks «deviate from the truth
and cannot be accepted under any condition» and «can harm national
interests between the two countries,» underlining the importance
relations between the two countries.
The Turkish military’s harsh reaction on Saturday reflected its deep
uneasiness, given its close defense ties with Israel. They include
training agreements and Turkish defense purchases from Israel worth
hundreds of millions of dollars.
Associated Press Writer Steve Weizman in Jerusalem and Gulden Alp in
Ankara contributed to this report.