Israel imposes partial arms embargo on Turkey

[Moscow]

Israel imposes partial arms embargo on Turkey

Israel will temporarily freeze sales of advanced military platforms to Turkey over concerns about the perceived mounting anti-Israel rhetoric from Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, reported UK-based Jane’s Defence Weekly.

According to a story Jane’s published on April 16, Israel’s defense assistance and export organization, SIBAT, has decided to evaluate Turkish requests on a case-by-case basis; one case under review is a Turkish request for Israeli-made electronic warfare systems. Turkey has also expressed interest in Rafael’s Spike non-line-of-sight (NLOS) anti-tank guided weapon as well as Israel Aerospace Industries’ (IAI’s) Barak 8 theatre-defense missile system for its navy and the Namer heavy infantry fighting vehicle.

“Ties with Turkey will never be the way they once were,” a defense source told Jane’s on April 14. “We are being very careful which systems we sell them due to the growing Islamic trends in the country.”

Diplomatic relations between the two countries declined in the aftermath of Israel’s 2008-09 conflict with Hamas in the Gaza Strip because Turkey was among the harshest critics of the Israeli offensive. They deteriorated further with the delay in deliveries by IAI of six Heron unmanned aerial vehicles and still further with the decision to cancel the October 2009 Anatolian Eagle exercises.

More disharmony followed Turkey’s decision to forbid Israel Air Force strike aircraft to be deployed in Turkey, where they have held numerous joint exercises in recent years. Israel has instead turned to Europe for training, aiming to bolster a 2006 agreement to allow strike aircraft to be deployed in Romania, reported Jane’s quoting its Tel Aviv correspondent.

According to Jane’s, Israel and Turkey have, however, maintained a cautious business relationship, jointly discussing with Colombia the sale of upgraded M60 main battle tanks (MBTs). Israel Military Industries (IMI) and Turkey’s Aselsan on April 7 handed over the last of 170 upgraded General Dynamics M60A1 MBTs to the Turkish military at a ceremony attended by a top Colombian general, said Jane’s.

Turkish Defense Minister Vecdi Gönül was not available to answer Today’s Zaman’s questions on the issue.

 

[LegionnairE]

Today's zaman is not a good source i think, they always prejudice and make one sided news. Anyway, Israel making a huge mistake by losing Turkey to Iran's side.

It's an embarrasment for NATO too...

 

[adir]

Good news.
you cant say that israel is the problem in the middel east and in the same time to enjoy the "zionest" hi-teach wepond.
Turky going to loos alot more then we will lose.

 

[Forrest Griffin]

Good news.
you cant say that israel is the problem in the middel east and in the same time to enjoy the "zionest" hi-teach wepond.
Turky going to loos alot more then we will lose.

Why can't you spell right?

 

[mshoaib61]

News already posted

http://www.defence.pk/forums/world-affairs/54973-israel-imposes-partial-arms-embargo-turkey.html

 

[Jigs]

That is fine we got our UAVs already.

South Korea,U.S.,Germany,Russia, even France. All submit offers for various requirements we put out.

Not to mention the co-programs we do with our Pakistani brothers.

 

[Parashuram1]

Well this was kind of expected considering the recent frictions between the two former good friends. After what Mr. Erdogan said and what Tel Aviv has been facing with already, the news certainly doesn't seem out of place here.

I feel that both countries should keep bilateral ties away from geo-politics as it will be a disadvantage of losing each other at this stage. Both are NATO supporting countries and therefore this is likely to cause further tensions within the United States' sphere of influence.

 

[AZADPAKISTAN2009]

Good news.
you cant say that israel is the problem in the middel east and in the same time to enjoy the "zionest" hi-teach wepond.
Turky going to loos alot more then we will lose.

Yes I am not sure what is going on in Turkey ... but watching carefully but Turkey and Israel has traditionally enjoyed good relations

Anyone got the videos on how this problem got started I heard in some meeting Turkish president said something or walked out ...I only heard about it before

 

[Jigs]

Yes I am not sure what is going on in Turkey ... but watching carefully but Turkey and Israel has traditionally enjoyed good relations

Anyone got the videos on how this problem got started I heard in some meeting Turkish president said something or walked out ...I only heard about it before

Here is the ending.

The beach killings PM Erdogan is referring to you can find more info about here.

Gaza beach explosion (2006) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Here is the full video. This was after Gaza.

 

[blain2]

Politics aside, a friend's friend was at the WEF when this happened. After addressing a press conference Erdogan was on his way out, so this friend's friend (who happened to be a Palestinian) said "thank you" to him for bringing this issue up and Erdogan just turned around and said something to the effect "I was compelled to do so by my conviction". In other words, he believes in the wrongness of the Israeli attacks against the Palestinians and does not do so to just pick a fight. He called a spade a spade in this case.

Sometime ago, the Time magazine actually came out with an article in which the argument was made that the US and the West actually want some tough talking to be done to Israel for all the self-destructive paths she keeps going on. Since the pro-Israel lobby is too strong in the US and EU, no politician can risk their ire, however they do feel that Israel needs to be told to back off and Erdogan may have a role to play here. I will try to dig up this article.

 

[blain2]

Here it is:

Friday, Jan. 15, 2010
Turkey and Israel: The End of the Affair?
By Pelin Turgut / Istanbul

Not a month goes by without a new chapter in the increasingly bitter diplomatic sparring between traditional allies Turkey and Israel. Relations took a downturn a year ago, when Turkey's government forcefully criticized Israel's military assault on Gaza, and have since lurched from bad to worse. "One road accident, two accidents, three ... all of a sudden it starts to look as if they're not accidents — the road itself is the problem," says Turkish foreign-affairs commentator Cengiz Candar. "The Turkey-Israel love affair is over."

This week's drama was provoked by a bizarre p.r. stunt on the part of Israel's right-wing Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon. Ayalon called in Turkey's ambassador to Israel and staged a demeaning photo op calculated to humiliate the Turkish diplomat as a rebuke for negative portrayals of Israel on a Turkish TV drama. Only Ayalon's last-minute apology prevented the resulting furor from causing a diplomatic breakdown. (See pictures of heartbreak in the Middle East.)

But further rows seem inevitable. Turkey's newfound ambition to become a major regional power broker has seen an energetic forging of ties with Arab and Central Asian countries. Asserting a foreign policy increasingly independent of Washington, Turkey has not hesitated to criticize Israel's actions against the Palestinians, defend Iran's nuclear program and expand economic ties at a moment when the U.S. seeks to isolate Tehran, and repair relations with Syria. Israel's leaders warn publicly that they believe Turkey is moving into the region's Islamist orbit, and hard-liners within Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition government appear to have been spoiling for a fight.

In the past six months, Turkey has scrapped visa requirements for Lebanon, Jordan and Syria and signed a raft of agreements with each country designed to improve trade and cultural exchange. Since publicly chastising Israeli President Shimon Peres over Gaza at a conference in Switzerland last January, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has become a hero on Arab streets, and the latest diplomatic spat with Israel won't do his popularity any harm. Beirut daily Al Akhbar's headline on the Ayalon apology story praised "Sultan Erdogan" and exalted that "Israel understands only Turkish."

But while Erdogan may appear to be striking out independently of his country's NATO partners, it's notable that his outbursts critical of Israel draw little comment from the U.S. and Europe. That suggests "there is a sense that Erdogan is saying things that someone needs to say to Israel," says a European diplomat speaking on condition of anonymity. Just last month, Erdogan left an upbeat meeting with President Barack Obama, rode to a downtown Washington hotel and gave a speech lambasting Israel for "inhuman" deeds in Gaza. "The timing doesn't suggest someone who is unaware of what he's doing in an international context," says Candar. "The West is relieved to have someone taking on Israel. They've outsourced the job to Erdogan. That's why, when he does the cost analysis of saying these things about Israel, he has the added confidence of knowing that Turkey won't face recrimination from its Western partners either."

Turkish-Israeli relations are still anchored by military cooperation, as they have been since the 1950s. Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak is due to visit Ankara next week, hoping to reinforce strategic ties and negotiate deals for Israel's military industries, which already have contracts worth more than $1 billion to supply Turkey. Meanwhile, a Turkish delegation is currently in Israel to wrap up the purchase of 10 Heron drones. "Defense ties have become the safety valve for bilateral relations," says Candar. "They prevent a complete breakdown. That doesn't change the fact that there has been a significant structural shift in the relationship, and it is open to future crises."

http://www.time.com/time/printout/0,...953996,00.html

 

[Hammy007]

foolish thing turkey is doing now a days just to get some influence in the middle east, you dont look to backward nations, you look to the nations which are growing, economically strong and thus it also helps you to get this influence.. turkey is in a good pace and now getting involved in middle east affairs too much will ruin it.

 

[TrMhMt]

Turkiye doesn't need israel and its weapons also !! we have tried to make good trade ties but israel ruined it ... Tank modernization and buying UAV's from isreal had problems always !! now they know Turkiye will never buy something from them, so they pretend like this... anyways they will lose more than us !!! Turkiye is not same as other middle east countries...

 

[cabatli_53]

Let issuing an embargo on Turkey aside, Even If Israel wants to make something about defence trade and cooperation, Turkey will never order anything from Israel anymore Because,


*Heron Male UAV Program - Delayed more than 3 years and can not carry Aselsan AselFlir-300 T E/O eyes at 30000ft altitude so Israel has punished by Turkish SSM...

*M-60 SABRA Modernization- Delayed more than 2 years and have met lots of vibration problems. Turkish institues have solved the problems and finally finished in this year. Israel has punished cause of long delays...

*Israel navigation-targetting Pods - Turkish Air Forces did not satisfied with capability level of those Pods so Turkey has ordered USA Sniper Pods for New F-16's...

 

[cabatli_53]

According to article posted above, Israel threatens Turkey not to sell any Anti-Tank missiles and Air Defence missiles. I do not know Who told them wheather Turkey needs Israeli AT and SAM'S but Someone told those people that Turkey is on right direction to develop our own instead of ordering Israeli systems.

AT Missile Program of Turkey...
-UMTAS
-OMTAS
-KMTAS
-Cirit

SAM Programs
-Low Altitude Towed
-Low Altitude Otonom
-Medium Altitude VL SAM's...