Turkey Expels Israeli Ambassador Over Leaked UN Report

By Jack Phillips
September 2, 2011

The Turkish Foreign Minister’s office on Friday said that it expelled the Israeli ambassador to the country and suspended all military ties after a leaked United Nations report foisted the blame on Israel for the deaths of nine activists in last year’s flotilla raid.

The Turkish government has insisted that Israel must apologize for the incident or it would downgrade its diplomatic ties. However, Israeli officials have maintained that the incident does not warrant an apology.

“As long as the Israeli government does not take the necessary steps, there will be no turning back,” Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said a press conference, according to the news agency.

The report, which was leaked early to The New York Times, found that the raid on the Gaza-bound flotilla was legal but said Israel used “excessive and unreasonable” force. Israel also has the right to maintain a naval blockade around Gaza, as it is a “legitimate security measure in order to prevent weapons from entering.”

The report also called on Jerusalem to make an apology for the raid, which took place in May 2010.

“Non-violent options should have been used in the first instance,” the U.N. report said. It added that “the loss of life and injuries resulting from the use of force by Israeli forces during the take-over … was unacceptable.”

In a statement posted on its Foreign Ministry website, Turkey said that it will challenge certain aspects of the U.N. report, saying that around 15 percent of the report deals with Israel’s actions and should be more thorough. The report also made an effort to “demonize” those participating in the flotilla, said the Ministry.

However, the report urges both Turkey and Israel—once close allies—to repair their relationship that has soured over the past years.

Source: The Epoch Times.
Link: http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/world/turkey-expels-israeli-ambassador-over-leaked-un-report-61102.html.