Posted on 08/17/2011 7:13:25 AM PDT by Ooh-Ah
Israel's largest daily newspaper, Yediot Ahronot, reported on Wednesday that the Obama Administration is threatening Israel to either apologize to Turkey over its bloody interception of a Gaza aid flotilla last year, or risk strained ties with Washington.
Israeli diplomats in Washington told the newspaper that they had received a communique from US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton insisting that the rift between Israel and Turkey was harming American interests in the region, such as affecting regime change in neighboring Syria.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan demands that Israel publicly apologize for intercepting a May 2010 "humanitarian aid" flotilla that tried to break Israel's maritime blockade of the Gaza Strip. The flotilla had set sail from Turkey, and nine Turkish nationals were killed when they and others aboard the largest ship, the Mavi Marmara, attacked the Israeli boarding party.
Erdogan called the operation an act of piracy. And even though Washington and other Western powers agree with Israel that the Gaza blockade is legal and legitimate, the Obama Administration has decided that it is more politically expedient to simply have Israel meet Erdogan's unreasonable demands (as if that won't have any long-term negative consequences).
A year ago, Obama actually pressured Erdogan to either make up with Israel, or risk his ability to purchase American weapons. But, like other Middle East powers embroiled in conflict with Israel, Erdogan had learned that Western threats are fleeting and toothless. Obama never followed through on that ultimatum, and all Erdogan had to do was wait one year for Washington to decide to start pressuring Israel, instead.
What's worse, the Obama Administration's pressure on Israel - the party it agrees is in the right - has also reportedly come in the form of a threat.
According to the Israeli diplomats cited in the Yediot report, they were told that if Israel does not comply with Clinton's request to apologize to Turkey, the White House may suddenly find itself unable to continue building opposition to a unilateral Palestinian declaration of statehood at the UN next month.
"God forbid we apologize," declared Israeli Vice Prime Minister Moshe Ya'alon at a conference of Likud activists on Tuesday.
Demonstrating a firm understanding of Israel's regional antagonists, Ya'alon, a former IDF chief, noted that Erdogan "will never let go, even after we apologize."
Most Israeli leaders maintain that the flotilla raid was legal and that the deaths, while regrettable, cannot be blamed on Israel. The Israelis fear that meeting Erdogan's demands will negate that position, and play into the hands of those who claim Israel is conducting a cruel and inhumane siege against Gaza.
However, Israel is more easily pressured than its neighbors, and those same Israeli leaders are even more afraid of upsetting the White House. As such, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet has for weeks been debating not just if, but how to apologize to Turkey in a way that does the least harm to Israel.
Shove it up your smelly OBama, Barack.
has obama no shame?
If a man as unpopular as Obama threatened me, they’d have to surgically remove my grin. Netanyahu got a rock star reception by both houses of congress. Obama’s polls are circling the bowl. This is not a fight he can win. Who does he think will back him? Congress? Not bloody likely, with an election a little over a year away.
Obama is picking the wrong fight as usual. His political tin ear is still batting Zero.
Yet what do we hear from Boehner & Co.?
{{{{{{crickets}}}}}}
No less than any other jihadi.
He who watches over Israel .... neither slumbers or sleeps.
HE is a muslim out to destroy the little Satan.
Understanding the muslim credo of Death to the Little Satan, Death to the Big Satan helps us better rationalize all his efforts in America
Some old habits just do not die!
This really ticks me off. Get that man out of the whitehouse...even Howdy Doody would be an improvement.
I’m routing for Israel ...
God, family, Israel, America ... in that order ...
What next? The USA apologizing to the Taliban for killing OBL?
Screw you, Obama . I will ALWAYS stand with Israel!!!!
I humbly submit this, so that P.M. Netanyahu can fulfill the wishes of our Dear Leader:
“I would like to say to Mr. Erdogan that I am sorry he helped to outfit and launch a hostile flotilla whose aim was to destabilize the sovereign nation of Israel. I am also sorry that the hostile persons on board the flagship of this flotilla decided to physically attack our boarding party with deadly weapons, and were promptly killed for their unwise act. I would like to further apologise that I didn’t have the Israeli Navy simply blow the entire flotilla out of the water as any other sovereign nation would when confronted with a hostile act such as this, but instead chose the path of restraint and non-confrontation.
Rest assured that I will not repeat these mistakes in the future.”
Bibi, just ignore the foot-stomping, tantrum-throwing little brat. You know what’s best for Israel.
Listen, First Doofus, Israel will be around long after you're an embarrassing footnote in U.S. History.
Arrogant, recist POS...
The only apology that Israel should offer is its regret that the IDF should have blown the flotilla out of the water like any other nation would do towards hostile acts.
Go for it, First Wanker, nothing closer to your ability for you to do anyway.
Impressive. I hope Bibi uses it!
i’m sure next Obama and Hillary,
will get Turkey to apologize to Cyprus.
...which is STILL divided, after Turkey invaded it,
raping and killing, in 1974 !
TIFBP*
* ...The Idiot First Black President...
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