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Axis of Something
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Turkeys
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Middle East Bonanza
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Running Roughshod Over Allies
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March 24, 2013
Turkish Piece of Work
Like clockwork (of the Turkish kind), Israel’s apology to Turkey is working out exactly as we had anticipated, despite most people’s initial (and in some cases, continuing) euphoria…
Below are some updates to Friday’s posting “Middle East Bonanza."
So as Turkey continues to backtrack on its agreement with Israel, we'd like to offer special thanks to U.S. President Barack Obama, for bringing to Israel what he has excelled at as President of the United States, i.e., bowing and appeasing.
The world is watching, Mr. Obama, including our enemies...
Times of Israel | March 23, 2013
Erdogan Backtracks On Understandings With Netanyahu
Day after Israeli PM's apology phone call, Turkish leader says it's not yet time to drop case against 4 IDF generals over Marmara deaths, won't send new envoy yet, will visit Gaza
By Yifa Yaacov
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan appeared to backtrack Saturday on understandings reached with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a dramatic US-brokered phone call Friday on healing ties between Ankara and Jerusalem.
Erdogan said Saturday it was too early to cancel legal steps against Israeli soldiers who took part in the raid on the Mavi Mamara.
According to the Hurriyet daily, Erdogan also said the exchange of ambassadors between Israel and Turkey would not take place immediately.
“We will see what... more here.
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Reuters | March 24, 2013
Erdogan Says Israeli Apology Shows Turkey's New Clout
(Reuters) - Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday an Israeli apology for the 2010 deaths of nine Turkish pro-Palestinian activists that was brokered by President Barack Obama met Turkey's conditions and signaled its growing regional influence.
"We are entering a new period in both Turkey and the region," said Erdogan, who plans to visit the Palestinian territories, including the Gaza Strip, next month.
"We are at the beginning of a process of elevating Turkey to a position so that it will again have a say, initiative and power, as it did in the past." ...More here
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Times of Israel | March 24, 2013
Normalization With Israel Not A Done Deal, Erdogan Says
Livni unfazed after Turkish PM says relations will be warmed only after Israel lits Gaza blockade and compensates families of Marmara victims
By Yifa Yaacov and Ilan Ben Zion
Confirming an apparent backtrack on reconciling differences with Israel, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan reiterated Sunday that normalized relations with Jerusalem would only happen if Israel implemented its side of an ostensible new bargain with Turkey.
“We have said: ‘An apology will be made, compensation will be paid and the blockade on Palestine will be lifted.’ There will be no normalization without these,” Erdogan said, clarifying that Turkey would not return its ambassador to Israel right away. “Normalization will happen the moment there is an implementation.” ...More here
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Notable Quotables
"Mr. Netanyahu is one of the most media-savvy politicians on the planet. On Friday he appeared live via video link on 'Real Time with Bill Maher,' taking the host’s alternately sardonic and serious line of questioning with gazelle-like alacrity."
~ Anthony Grant, jourrnalist who has written for many major newspapers and worked in television at Paris and Tel Aviv, interviewing former PM Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday, at the outset of Mr. Netanyahu's new book (more here).
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