Erdogan

Netanyahu and Erdogan. (photos by Yotam Ronen/Activestills.org and Wikimedia)

Israel must apologize to its citizens for lying about Gaza flotilla

Now that Israel has signed a reconciliation agreement with Turkey over the Gaza flotilla incident, it must apologize to its own citizens for its lies and distortions. Five takeaways. By Yael Marom 1. A Shayetet 13 combat soldier who was among those to raid the Mavi Marmara in May 2010 gave an interview to Ma’ariv…

By +972 Magazine June 27, 2016

Günay Kubilay. (photo: Avi Blecherman)

Pro-Kurdish leader: ‘We extend our hand to the Palestinian people’

Despite President Erdoğan’s control over the Turkish media and political persecution of minorities, the pro-Kurdish ‘Peoples’ Democratic Party’ has managed to become the third largest party in the country’s parliament. Günay Kubilay, one of its highest-ranking members speaks to +972’s Hebrew-language sister site, Local Call, about incitement and violence, Turkey’s disintegrating democracy, and the link between…

By +972 Magazine December 12, 2015

Prime Minister of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks at the opening plenary of the World Economic Forum June 2012( World Economic Forum CC BY-SA 2.0)

Turkey alliances over Syria conflict strained by Egypt coup

Ankara’s strong stance on the Syria conflict helped bolster its status as a rising leader in the region. But its approach to the coup in Egypt could undo that. By Ilhan Tanir In early 2012, I visited Damascus and its suburbs and stayed there for two weeks. I met with Syrians of diverse professions, from…

By +972 Magazine August 24, 2013

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Prime Minister of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks at the opening plenary of the World Economic Forum June 2012( World Economic Forum CC BY-SA 2.0)

The Iranian nuclear standoff: Where does Turkey stand?

Despite its leaders’ efforts to broker an agreement, Turkey seems to be accepting the possibility of an attack on Iran as a last resort. Now its priority is to prepare for that eventuality, so that a military conflict does not take it by surprise. By Aylin Gurzel FAMAGUSTA – Turkey has tried to broker negotiations between…

By +972 Magazine October 22, 2012

Turkish tanks deploy towards the Syrian border near Akcakale, Oct 8, 2012 (photo: Roee Ruttenberg)

WATCH: Tensions mount on Turkey-Syria border

AKCAKALE, TURKEY — It has been nearly a week since a Syrian mortar shell landed on a Turkish home just across the border, killing five members of the same family. The incident brought a swift response from Turkey, and a promise by the government in Ankara that it would not hesitate to strike back, which…

By Roee Ruttenberg October 10, 2012

Turkey-Israel image

Knesset committee publicly debates “Armenian genocide”

Diplomacy is a tricky thing, especially when it rides the emotional coattails of genocide. Six years ago, then (and still) Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrived in Jerusalem on a rare and official visit. He met with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon (now in a coma) and President Moshe Katsav (now in a prison). He also…

By Roee Ruttenberg December 26, 2011

Gaza-bound flotilla said planning to depart Turkey in coming days; activists deny plans to sail

Less than six months after an international flotilla failed to break the Gaza blockade, and for the most part failed to get out the door due in part to a strong international pressure campaign launched by Israel and its supporters, another vessel – the “Flotilla of Freedom 2” is said to depart Turkey on Sunday.…

By Roee Ruttenberg October 26, 2011

The writing is on the wall. "Give Me Freedom" grafitti in Sidi Bouzid, Tunisia, 22 October 2011, the location were 26 year old Mohammad Bouazizi set himself alight (photo: Roee Ruttenberg)

Notes from Tunisia: Islamist Party Claims Victory in Historic Vote

For the first time since Hamas won elections in 2006, an Arab Islamist party has successfully contested a national election. Its success may serve as an inspiration for other movement, like Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood, to do well in their vote. And though the party is trying to distance itself from either counterparts, many Tunisians are…

By Roee Ruttenberg October 24, 2011

Egyptian soldiers next to the wall around the Israeli embassy building that was torn down by protesters yesterday (photo: flickr/maggie osama)

Calling all nations! Responsible adult needed in Middle East!

It’s true, as of today a military escalation is unlikely. At least, that’s what all the experts and all the analysts are saying. Yet I can’t help but feel the Middle East has never been so close to war as it is today. And I don’t say this lightly. As one who has lived in…

By Ami Kaufman September 10, 2011

Recep_tayyip_erdogan 2008 (Photo: Randam/Wikimedia Commons, Creative Commons)

Turkey’s response to UN flotilla report: not just about Israel

Turkey’s response to the UN’s Palmer Report investigating the 2010 flotilla debacle was like a roar in the jungle of Middle East and global politics that had been building for at least two years now. Turkey had leveraged the report even prior to its publication as the deadline for an ultimatum to Israel: apologize or…

By Dahlia Scheindlin September 3, 2011

Turkey-Israel image

Netanyahu letter to Turkish PM may signal warming ties

The Israeli Prime Minister has sent a letter to his Turkish counterpart calling for a renewed state of positive relations between the two countries. It follows secretly held talks by the governments of Netanyahu and Erdogan to renew their strained relations, which sunk to an unprecedented low one year ago. The restaurant is called ‘Istanbul,’…

By Roee Ruttenberg June 22, 2011

Turkish man overlooks camp for Syrian refugees in Yayladagi (photo: Roee Ruttenberg)

Letters from Turkey: Ankara shifts away from Israel/Palestine

Rabbi David Wolpe of Los Angeles’ Conservative synagogue Sinai Temple once said during a Friday night sermon, “People don’t think about you as much as you think people think about you.” It might thus come as a shock to some readers that amid the campaign rallies leading up to Turkey’s parliamentary elections on June 12th,…

By Roee Ruttenberg June 17, 2011

Flotilla Gaza-bound again, as anniversary is remembered

IHH’s deputy chairman, Huseyin Oruc: “This siege is illegal. It was illegal and it was right of all of the peoples, all the NGOs, all the civilians to go to Gaza” Tuesday marks the one year anniversary of an Israeli raid on a group of ships in the Mediterranean that left nine Turkish nationals dead.…

By Roee Ruttenberg May 30, 2011