Turkey ‘freezes’ $56 billion of Israeli contracts

[ace slasher]

Turkey ‘freezes’ $56 billion of Israeli contracts
June 21, 2010

Turkey is reported to have frozen at least 16 arms deals with Israel worth an estimated $56 billion
Contracts were suspended after the Israeli government refused to apologize for the May 31 killing of nine Turks
Just a matter of time before Ankara officially froze all defense deals with Israel
Turkish President Abdullah Gul has warned that Ankara would not rule out breaking off diplomatic ties if three demands — an international probe, a public Israeli apology and lifting the three-year-old blockade on Gaza — are not met.
“If the United States cannot be relied upon to pressure Israel on meeting these demands, Ankara will have to find some lever to do so itself,” the U.S.-based global security consultancy Stratfor observed in an analysis Tuesday.
“One such lever may be military and intelligence cooperation, which Israel has historically relied upon.
TEL AVIV, Israel, June 18 — Turkey is reported to have frozen at least 16 arms deals with Israel worth an estimated $56 billion, including missile projects and upgrading combat aircraft and tanks, in a major escalation of its confrontation with the Jewish state.

The Turkish newspaper Today’s Zaman reported Friday that the contracts were suspended after the Israeli government refused to apologize for the May 31 killing of nine Turks when Israeli naval commandos stormed the Mavi Marmara, a Turkish-flagged vessel carrying humanitarian aid to the blockaded Gaza Strip.

There was no official confirmation of the report in either Israel or Turkey. But relations between the two former allies have been crumbling since Turkey’s Islamist prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, ferociously denounced Israel’s invasion of the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip Dec. 27, 2008.

The Israeli daily Haaretz quoted defense ministry sources as saying it was probably just a matter of time before Ankara officially froze all defense deals with Israel.

On Monday, state-run Israel Aerospace Industries, flagship of the Jewish state’s defense industry, and Elbit Systems ordered all their engineers, flight instructors and other employees based in Turkey to return home.

Haaretz said the 16 projects being frozen include a $5 billion contract for 1,000 Merkava Mark III main battle tanks designed by Israel Military Industries — the Israeli army is equipping with Merkava Mark IV models — a $50 million upgrade of Turkey’s M-60 tanks, an $800 million deal for two Israeli patrol aircraft and an Airborne Warning and Control System jet.

Turkey was also planning a $625.5 million deal for 54 McDonnell Douglas F-4E Phantom strike aircraft to be upgraded to Phantom 2020 standard, and a $75 million program to upgrade 48 of the air force’s 87 Northrop F-5/F-5B fighter-bombers as lead-in trainers.

Relations nosedived in October 2009 when Turkey canceled Israel’s participation in NATO air exercises. Turkey complained that IAI had delayed delivery of six of 10 Heron long-range unmanned aerial vehicles ordered by the Turkish military in a $185 million 2005 contract.

Last April, Jane’s Defense Weekly reported that the Israel defense ministry froze the sale of advanced military platforms to Turkey because of mounting anti-Israeli rhetoric from Erdogan’s government.

The ministry’s foreign defense assistance and export procurement department also decided to review all Turkish requests for military equipment on a case-by-case basis.

Turkey has been a major importer of Israeli military hardware and defense expertise since the two countries signed a military cooperation pact in 1996.

That landmark alliance between the two major non-Arab military powers in the Middle East dramatically changed the region’s strategic landscape.

Israeli pilots trained in Turkey and, according to some reports, Israel set up intelligence-gathering stations on Turkey’s borders with Syria and Iran.

In the past, the Turks had preserved military cooperation with Israel, particularly the arms deals and joint exercises that formed the core of their strategic alliance, even when treatment of the Palestinians stirred widespread anger among Turkey’s overwhelmingly Muslim population.

But the May 31 killings, and Israel’s dogged refusal to acknowledge responsibility for the bloodletting, has incensed the Turkish nation.

The Financial Times quoted Namik Tan, Turkey’s ambassador to the United States, as saying Ankara could be forced to sever all ties with Israel, although he stressed: “We don’t want this to go to that point.”

The unraveling of military links, including intelligence-sharing that Israeli leaders valued extremely highly because of Turkey’s proximity to Iran, underlined the seriousness of the current confrontation.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has said he does not trust Israel to carry out an impartial review of the May 31 incident, rather than be subjected to an international investigation.

Turkish President Abdullah Gul has warned that Ankara would not rule out breaking off diplomatic ties if three demands — an international probe, a public Israeli apology and lifting the three-year-old blockade on Gaza — are not met.

“If the United States cannot be relied upon to pressure Israel on meeting these demands, Ankara will have to find some lever to do so itself,” the U.S.-based global security consultancy Stratfor observed in an analysis Tuesday.

“One such lever may be military and intelligence cooperation, which Israel has historically relied upon. Turkey has already downgraded cooperation and rumors have surfaced that Israeli intelligence operatives may be expelled from a radar post on Turkish soil near the border with Iran.” (UPI)

The Jerusalme Post is claiming that Israel has already capitulated and lifted all sanctions on Gaza–and even the Naval blockade is to be
lifted.

Good for Turkey!
serves israel right

 

[Patriot]

I think the amount is hyped up.56 Billion Is way too much.

 

[True_Pakistan_Zindabad]

Haaretz said the 16 projects being frozen include a $5 billion contract for 1,000 Merkava Mark III main battle tanks designed by Israel Military Industries — the Israeli army is equipping with Merkava Mark IV models — a $50 million upgrade of Turkey’s M-60 tanks, an $800 million deal for two Israeli patrol aircraft and an Airborne Warning and Control System jet.

Turkey was also planning a $625.5 million deal for 54 McDonnell Douglas F-4E Phantom strike aircraft to be upgraded to Phantom 2020 standard, and a $75 million program to upgrade 48 of the air force’s 87 Northrop F-5/F-5B fighter-bombers as lead-in trainers.

Was Turkey really going to buy Merkava III tanks? Huge huge deal for $5 billion wow...I think they should forget that flotilla. I wonder what Turkey would have done if Israel sent supplies to disenfranchised Kurds sitting along the border with Iraq. 56 billion of Israeli arms is a huge boost to any nation's defense.

 

[Jigs]

This article is false in many many ways. We are building 1,000 of our own tanks (Altay) the F-4E Terminator 2020 were upgraded 10 years ago and the same goes for the F-5s. Also the M-60 tanks to Sabra MKII level is already finished (earlier this year)


The article is crap.

 

[G W A D A R I]

Who is going to lose in this conflict?

 

[graphican]

What is the source of news?

 

[Hasbara Buster]

Was Turkey really going to buy Merkava III tanks? Huge huge deal for $5 billion wow...I think they should forget that flotilla. I wonder what Turkey would have done if Israel sent supplies to disenfranchised Kurds sitting along the border with Iraq. 56 billion of Israeli arms is a huge boost to any nation's defense.

There is no resemblance whatsoever between the Kurdish issue and the brutal and inhumane oppression and occupation of Palestine by the Zionist entity. What the Zionist entity is doing is illegal, they are preventing even basic needs from entering Gaza. They are starving Gazans, in fact, one Israeli official had openly said that they were "putting the Gazans on a diet".

 

[Solomon2]

There is no resemblance whatsoever between the Kurdish issue and the brutal and inhumane oppression and occupation of Palestine by the Zionist entity. What the Zionist entity is doing is illegal, they are preventing even basic needs from entering Gaza. They are starving Gazans, in fact, one Israeli official had openly said that they were "putting the Gazans on a diet".

Welcome to the impoverished Gaza Strip Mall!

Medical equipment like wheelchairs can only come from ships who break the blockade.

Here is where you can see how the evil Zionists have stolen all our water.

We also need help from the West in getting basic clothing into Gaza.

Our children suffer the most. Here they are playing videogames that are over three years old.

Amenities that are taken for granted in the West, like 65 inch flat screen TVs, are exceedingly rare and must be shared by many of our impoverished citizens.

We are forced to squirt Zionist ketchup onto our French fries, showing that we are still under colonial occupation.

Our children are forced to suffer while their parents eat measly portions in the "Starving Food Court."

link1 link2

Is there "no resemblance whatsoever" because the Kurds oppressed by the Turks can not boast as much as the Arabs in Gaza?

 

[Cerian]

Is there "no resemblance whatsoever" because the Kurds oppressed by the Turks can not boast as much as the Arabs in Gaza?

I'm sorry to inform you but, no one in Turkey is oppressed the way Arizona discriminates illegal immigrants. Besides, one small mall for a place where 1 million souls live is too much?

You seem to know too much about Turkey, maybe you can elaborate more on your knowledge of oppressed Kurds?

 

[Fedayeen]

I'm sorry to inform you but, no one in Turkey is oppressed the way Arizona discriminates illegal immigrants. Besides, one small mall for a place where 1 million souls live is too much?

You seem to know too much about Turkey, maybe you can elaborate more on your knowledge of oppressed Kurds?

Arizona illegal immigrant? are you kidding?

Not that I would defend Israeli treatment of Palestinians but what Turkey does to its Kurdish population is way worst. What happen to them 4000 Kurdish villages in the last few years? What about Kurdish language and schools. What about Jailed Kurdish kids for throwing pebbles at the police where you keep them in general population in your famous Turkish jails to get raped by not only inmated but your prision guards, sentenced to years behind bars. How many so called political prisoners does Turkey have compared to other Democracies? 5000? How many Kurdish villages have been bombed in Northern Iraq under the pretext of fighting the PKK separatist rebels?

BTW, in case you are wondering about your PKK problem.

Ocalan controls PKK…..your "Deep State" controls Ocalan.

As far as the subject of this thread, last time I checked Israeli defense contractors still operate out of Turkey and USA still shares intelligence on PKK with Turkey regardless of all the rhetoric’s we hear on the News.

 

[sergente rehan]

Is there "no resemblance whatsoever" because the Kurds oppressed by the Turks can not boast as much as the Arabs in Gaza?

By showing this you can't deny the reality! where is the other face of medalion? could you please post the pictures in which you will find the real life situation? Are you trying to insult the palestinians?

 

[Solomon2]

I'm sorry to inform you but, no one in Turkey is oppressed the way Arizona discriminates illegal immigrants. Besides, one small mall for a place where 1 million souls live is too much? You seem to know too much about Turkey, maybe you can elaborate more on your knowledge of oppressed Kurds?

"Turkish Kurdistan is a disaster. It is not where you want to spend your next holiday. One village after another has been blown completely to rubble."

link You can see the difference between the malls for yourself.

 

[somebozo]

Well the business will go on as usual after some arm wrestling Are you telling that turkey wants to lag behind in its defence just over some flottlia. Things havent run that dramatic yet and Israel will eventually not scumb to economic pressure. They can cry to uncle sam and get twice if 56 billions

 

[Solomon2]

By showing this you can't deny the reality! where is the other face of medalion?

Where indeed. Maybe you should trade a different currency?

 

[Cerian]

Arizona illegal immigrant? are you kidding?

I didn't want to bring this up. I know it's a big controversy over there and I'm sure you know the details. What I wanted to point out is, illegal or not, no one in Turkey asks permit papers of people who looked suspicious to be illegally living.

Not that I would defend Israeli treatment of Palestinians but what Turkey does to its Kurdish population is way worst. What happen to them 4000 Kurdish villages in the last few years?

Nothing happened in the last few years. I think you mixed up with government policy of emptying villages of some cities in South Eastern Anatolia in the first half of 90's. You have a point there though. What I can add to that, which you left blank, is those villagers had to go and live in the urban cities, which had a impact on their economic and social lives.

What about Kurdish language and schools.

It takes time to make this kind of big changes as it affects the whole country not just the Kurds. From my perspective, I strongly believe Kurds who want to learn on their own language should be permitted, but it should be done in a way that this school system doesn't cause any problems of integration with other parts of the country.

What about Jailed Kurdish kids for throwing pebbles at the police where you keep them in general population in your famous Turkish jails to get raped by not only inmated but your prision guards, sentenced to years behind bars.

New law restricted the sentence given to children. But before the law came out, that was a problem. Even though some of them are PKK sympathisers, majority are used by anarchist powers who take their power from PKK.

For the jail part, only I can say to you is, watched too much Midnight Express have you?

How many so called political prisoners does Turkey have compared to other Democracies? 5000?

Not everything is clear as the sky. Those political prisoners have found to be in connection with PKK terrorist organisation. I would love to hear from you, if US government found Al-Qaide linked politician or Israel found Hezbollah or Hamas linked politician, what do you think would happen different than Turkey?

How many Kurdish villages have been bombed in Northern Iraq under the pretext of fighting the PKK separatist rebels?

None, not any single village is bombed. This is our land, Turkey knows its responsibilities and have a clear knowledge of region's sensibilities. Our drones don't have armed weapons, only confirmed targets get hit.

BTW, in case you are wondering about your PKK problem.

Ocalan controls PKK…..your "Deep State" controls Ocalan.

Good job there. From your perspective of looking at things, then I can say USA controls Al-Qaide to justify wars for the sake of oil and gain a foot location against Russia and China. You see what I did there?

As far as the subject of this thread, last time I checked Israeli defense contractors still operate out of Turkey and USA still shares intelligence on PKK with Turkey regardless of all the rhetoric’s we hear on the News.

True. Diplomacy is a weird thing.