PatL wrote: "What is the connection between the PKK and Israel?"
The Marxist-Leninist PKK (as opposed to the Kurds, who are caught in the middle) is part of a much larger global terror network that fights against the US, Israel, all moderate Arab countries, the US, and our European allies. The PKK's area of responsibility focuses on bringing down Turkey. As you can see from the press conference below, the PKK views Turkey, Israel and the US as the main enemy.
Kurdistan Informatie Centrum Nederland
Member of the PKK-Central Committee, Halil Atac, holds a press conference in Beirut
A number of well known media representatives have attended a press conference on 3 June 1997 in Beirut, Lebanon.
During the press conference, Mr. Atac, who is an ARGK (National Liberation Army of Kurdistan) commander, talked about the Turkish invasion of South Kurdistan (North Iraq) and said:"...There is a similarity between this operation and the past operations. Yet, there are also differences. Especially, in the technical fields. This attack is carried out within the framework of the aggreement between USA, Israel and Turkey. Also, there is a possibility of Saddam to be a part of this aggreement and the aim is to end the existence of the PKK. As you all know, 60 thousand Turkish troops, backed with 450 tanks and armoured vehicles together with Cobra helicopters and warplanes, invaded South Kurdistan in collaboration with the KDP. They use the most developed wartechnics..."
Mr. Atac has continued and said: "...This operation have entered into its 19th day, yet, the Turkish army did not get any success. At the moment, they had crippled in a swamp. In my opinion, this operation did not meet with their aims. The first week was very important for us. We can say that we were successful this first week, and now we have entered the second stage of the war..."
"...Of course, it is possible for many people to ask themselves `How can the guerrilla forces stand against such massive scale attack?' One should understand the strength of the PKK. We have been continiously fighting against the Turkish state for the last 13 years, and we know how to fight. Today, we are more experienced and have the possibility to have much successful counter-attacks, Turkish state is heading towards a liquidation, and that is why they use psychological warfare. We can conclude that this attack has been unsuccessful. The state army claims that they have killed 1,800 guerrillas. If one looks at the reality, they can see the false victory. We do not suffer such casualties. The Turkish state has been lying about the war since the beginning of this invasion. This is her character, when she faces difficulties..."
"...The alliance between the USA, Israel and Turkey is against the PKK. Today, Israel is in need of Turkey and vice versa. For this, they have made a strategic alliance. This war is not only against the PKK. In long term, it is against the people of the Middle East. Israel has waged a war against the Arabs in the past and Israel wants now to stab the Arabs from the back..."
During his speech, Halil Atac has called on the peoples of the Middle East to unite all their forces in order to increase their voice for the developments in the region and said:
"...The problem of the people of the region are linked to the Kurdish issue and we see the solution of the Middle Eastern- isues linked to the solution of the Kurdish question..."
"...Elimination of the PKK means that the region will get under the control of the USA, Israel and Turkey. This will create a danger both for the Arabs and the region where the war continues..."
On the other hand, Halil Atac mentioned the KDP's support for this operation and said that this party was in its last days and that the KDP was betraying the Kurdish people:
"... The history of the KDP is full of threachery. The KDP is breathing for the last time as Turkey. The village-guards, who have been brought from the north of Kurdistan are given up their weapons and are going back to their homes..."
"...We will make the withdrawal of the Turkish state more difficult than its advance into our areas..."
In the mean time, Halil Atac has also released the results of the war, both in South and north Kurdistan, for May 1997:
Total number of guerrillas killed: 112 (75 killed in South Kurdistan and 37 in North Kurdistan)
Number of soldiers, village-guards, KDP-members: 791 (including 18 high ranking army officers)
Number of wounded soldiers, village-guards, KDP-members: 591
Number of persons joining the guerrilla: 331
Number of destroyed panzers, tanks and armoured vehicles: 13
Number of sorty made involving many war-planes: 57
Number of civilians lost their lives as a result of air bombings: 13
Number of weapons, different types, confiscated: 60 (including ammunition)
Number of helicopters shot down: 4
- On the 17th of May: a Sikorsky shot down near Kirmizi Hill
- On the 18th of May: a helicopter shot down on Serhat Hill, which crashed on the borderline
- On the 18th of May: a Super Cobra helicopter shot down on Sikefta Birindera Hill
7 KDP-members have been taken as prisoners of war.
Questions raised by the members of the press
Q: Is the PUK also giving support to Turkey?
A: The PUK is keeping its silence. At the beginning, they also allied with Turkey. However, they were not involved in the war untill now. And, they have a positive approach. We hope, this will develop in the coming days. We are aiming to develop a National Front in order to fight against the treachery.
Q: Will the PKK also carry out attacks against the USA and Israeli miltary targets?
A: The USA, Israel, and Turkey are the world's most deadly terrorist forces. These countries have always attacked the national struggles of the people around the world. These countries are in our general targets. If these countries continue their dirty political games towards our national freedom struggle, in return, they will face the hostility of the Kurdish people.
Atac also answered a question in regard to the massacre of civilians in a hospital in Erbil: "In Erbil, there was a hospital, an office of the Mesopotamian Cultural Centre and a press bureau. The KDP and a so called `Peace Force' carried an attack against these institutions killing 9 unarmed civilians in cold-blood."
"...The Turkish state is aiming to eliminate the Kurdish people. For this reason, Turkish colonialism is far more dangerous than both British and French colonialism. The USA might approach in the same manner as she approached Vietnam. We will then continue a long term war. Already, their forces are in the swamp of South Kurdistan..."
Q: Are you planning to carry out attacks against the tourism sector, as your General Secretary, Mr. Ocalan claimed?
A: Turkey is spending the tourism income in the dirty war. The tourism sector is among our military targets. We will not be responsible for any losses.
Link:
http://www.xs4all.nl/~kicadam/pers/oud/atac.html