With its relations in Israel in freefall, following the release of a United Nations report about last year's Gaza flotilla, Turkey has increasingly been turning up the heat on its former ally. In particular, Ankara has promised that it will be increasing its naval patrols in the Eastern Mediterranean to show Israel its displeasure with the ongoing naval blockade of Gaza. But could these beefed up patrols (if they materialize) actually be aimed at flexing some muscle towards Cyprus? From Reuters:
Some Turkish and Israeli commentators have suggested Turkey might use the feud with Israel to build up naval patrols in seas between the Jewish state and the divided island of Cyprus.
Turkey has bitterly complained about recent Cypriot-Israeli energy deals. The presence of Turkish ships would have a menacing effect and could be seen as a provocation by neighboring Greece, also a NATO member.
Noble Energy, a U.S. firm, is due to start exploratory drilling for natural gas off Cyprus in October despite warnings from Turkey against such concessions.
Turkey and Cyprus have been at odds for decades over the ethnically split island, whose internationally recognized Greek Cypriot government is an EU member. Turkish Cypriots live in a breakaway state in northern Cyprus recognized only by Turkey.
Asked about exploratory drilling for natural gas by Greek Cypriots, Egemen Bagis, Turkey's European Union minister, told Turkish media last week: "It is for this (reason) that countries have warships. It is for this (reason) that we have equipment and we train our navies."
Relations between former allies Turkey and Israel have been on the skids since last year, when Israeli commandos killed nine Turks in an attempt to take over a ship that was part of an aid convoy heading to Gaza. Turkey demanded Israel apologize and pay compensation for the deaths (and later added a third condition, that Israel lift is blockade of the Gaza Strip), but -- despite negotiations and efforts by Washington to bridge the divide -- Jerusalem refused to meet Turkey's demands.
After the flotilla incident, both countries joined a United Nations panel created to take a look at the event and perhaps assign some responsibility for what transpired. After months and months of delays, the report (here) was leaked yesterday to the New York Times. While strongly criticizing the conduct of Israel's military in both taking the ship over and in how it treated the passengers afterwards, the report deems Israel's naval blockade of Gaza and the interception of the ships heading there legal. It also has some harsh words about the motives of the flotilla's organizers, saying the convoy was more of a publicity stunt than a humanitarian effort.
The release of the report, as expected by many, has resulted in a futher -- and quite severe -- downgrading in Turkey's relations with Israel. From Hurriyet:
Turkey expelled Israel's ambassador and senior Israeli diplomats and suspended military agreements on Friday, the day after it emerged a U.N. report said Israel had used unreasonable force in a raid on a Gaza-bound ship that killed nine Turks, Reuters reported.
