ISRAELI ARMY CHIEF APOLOGIZES TO TURKEY OVER GENERAL’S REMARKS

Hurriyet
Feb 20 2009
Turkey

The Israeli army chief telephoned this week his Turkish counterpart
to apologize for the harsh remarks made last week by the country’s
Ground Forces Commander Avi Mizrahi, The Jerusalem Post reported on
Thursday. The Turkish military confirmed Friday reports of the phone
conversation. (UPDATED)

Israel’s Chief of General Staff Lt.-Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi spoke this week
with Turkish military chief Gen. Ilker Basbug in an effort to prevent
deterioration in military relations with Turkey, the newspaper said.

Mizrahi said last week Erdogan, who severely criticized Israel’s
military campaign in Gaza, "should first look in the mirror", and
accused Turkey of "committing a massacre of Armenians, as well as
suppression of the Kurds".

After Mizrahi’s remarks, Turkey summoned the Israeli ambassador
to the Foreign Ministry and handed a note of protest demanding
clarification, while the military denounced them as "excessive,
unfortunate and unacceptable".

A spokesman from the Turkish military confirmed that the Israeli
military chief telephoned Basbug on Monday regarding Mizrahi’s remarks.

Ashkenazi told the Turkish army chief that he was disappointed and
saddened over the incident, adding he would look into the matter,
the spokesman said at a weekly press briefing.

The Israeli army chief also said in a letter sent to the Turkish
military on Thursday that he followed up on the promises made to
Basbug during their conversation and that he had dealt with the issue,
the army spokesman added.

ASHKENAZI REPRIMANDS MIZRAHI

Ashkenazi summoned Mizrahi this week and reprimanded him for the
comments he made during a lecture, The Jerusalem Post also reported
Thursday. During a press briefing on Tuesday, Mizrahi was asked about
the incident and said he was behind it, the paper added.

"IDF Chief of General Staff Lt.-Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi spoke with his
Turkish counterpart this week and said that the remarks attributed to
Maj.-Gen. Avi Mizrahi were not the official IDF position and that IDF
generals and commanders were permitted to only express opinions on
military and security issues," the Israeli paper quoted a statement
released by the IDF Spokesman’s Office.

Mizrahi’s remarks did not reflect the IDF’s official position, and
Israel highly valued the strategic relationship it had forged over
the years with the Turkish military, officials told the paper.

The IDF did not expect the incident to impair relations, military
sources also told the Jerusalem Post.