Standing on the deck of the Mavi Marmara recently, a Greek activist presented the head of Turkey’s Islamic Humanitarian Relief Foundation, sponsor of the Gaza-Strip-bound aid ship, with a model of an ancient Cretan vessel.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry announced Dec. 3 that Turkey has sent two firefighting aircraft to Israel at the behest of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The aircraft will assist Israeli efforts to extinguish huge fires in the Carmel Mountains, outside the northern city of Haifa, that have claimed 41 lives so far.
Domestic political factors in Turkey may exert considerable influence in the coming weeks over Ankara’s response to the tragically botched Israeli commando raid on the Gaza aid flotilla, analysts say.
Relations between Turkey and Israel – until recent years close allies – are fraying amid the fallout from Israel’s commando raid on the Turkish-led Gaza aid flotilla.
