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Turkey calls for Security Council meeting over Israel

Monday, May 31, 2010

By Tulay Karadeniz Tulay Karadeniz

ANKARA (Reuters) – Turkey canceled joint military exercises with Israel and called for an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council after pro-Palestinian activists were killed when Israeli marines boarded aid ships bound for Gaza.

With several Turks reported to be among the dead, thousands of people converged on Taksim Square in downtown Istanbul to voice anger at Israel's use of force and pray for the dead.

"This attack is another sign of the reckless levels that the Israeli government's violent policies have reached," Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc said in a televised speech.

At least 10 people were killed when firing broke out after Israeli commandos stormed one of six ships in a convoy that was organized by, among others, a Turkish human rights organization.

Arinc said there were up to 400 Turks among nearly 600 people aboard the Mavi Maramara, the Turkish cruise vessel where the firing broke out.

The Israeli action could prove a death knell for an alliance between the Jewish State and Muslim but secular Turkey.

A breakdown in their relationship would pose problems for the United States, as the alliance between the two regional military heavyweights helped U.S. strategy in the Middle East.

Ties had come under increasing strain over the past year, due to Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan's repeated criticism of Israeli policy toward Palestinians.

Standing in for Erdogan, who was rushing back from an official visit to Latin America to deal with the crisis, Arinc said: "We condemn Israel's attack at the highest level."

He said Turkey, a non-permanent member of the Security Council, had called for an emergency meeting.

He also said Ankara's ambassador to Israel had been recalled, three planned military joint exercises were canceled, and he demanded that the ships be released and that Turkey be allowed to airlift wounded nationals back home.

The ships had around 600 people on board and were carrying 10,000 tonnes of medical supplies, housing material and other aid to Gaza. Turkey had urged Israel to allow the convoy safe passage.

"IRREVERSIBLE CONSEQUENCES"

In an earlier statement the Turkish Foreign Ministry had called the Israeli action unacceptable, a breach of international law, and warned of possible "irreversible consequences in our relations."

Erdogan became a hero across the Islamic world by publicly berating Israeli President Shimon Peres when they shared a platform at the World Economic Forum in Davos last year.

Relations deteriorated further this year when an Israeli minister humiliated Turkey's ambassador to Israel on television.

Erdogan's Islamist leaning AK Party will seek a third consecutive term in office at an election due by July next year, and his strong stand against Israel could go down with voters.

Armed Forces Chief General Ilker Basbug cut short a visit to Egypt to return home, Turkish media reported.

While Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, who was on his way to Washington from Latin America, was reported to have spoken on the telephone with Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak.

Turkey's call for a Security Council meeting was backed by Lebanon, chair of the non-permanent members for the month of May.

Lebanese Foreign Minister Ali al-Shami said that together with Turkey there would be a push for a "severe condemnation" of Israel either through a statement or a resolution.

"There has to be effective pressure," he told Reuters.

PROTESTS

Earlier about 300 people waving Palestinian flags and wearing black-and-white kaffiyeh headscarves rallied outside the Israeli consulate in Istanbul.

"Down with Zionist, Israeli imperialism," protesters shouted as police backed by armored vehicles and water cannon barred them from moving toward the building.

Other chants called for Turkey to send troops to Gaza and for the Turkish ships to be released.

Ankara summoned Israel's ambassador to the ministry.

Israeli Ambassador Gabby Levy's residence was pelted with eggs and water bottles, and activists hung a banner on an outside wall with the message "stones will win over tanks."

Hamza, a 19-year-old student among the protesters in Istanbul, said Israel had sought to provoke a war in the region.

"War should be our response," he said. "Our reaction has to be tougher than what the Israelis did to these innocent people.

Turkish stocks fell nearly 2 percent at Monday's opening and the lira and bond prices also weakened as traders said relations between the two countries had entered uncharted territory.

(Additional reporting by Ayla Jean Yackley and Ece Toksabay in Istanbul and Yara Bayoumey in Beirut; Writing by Simon Cameron-Moore; Editing by Samia Nakhoul)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100531/wl_nm/us_palestinians_israel_turkey