Turkish Overture in B-flat

Turkey working to prevent Lebanese sail to Gaza

According to Israeli officials, Ankara deems additional flotillas pointless after partial lifting of blockade on Gaza. 'Turkey wants to lower its profile, let diplomacy take its course,' official says

Officials in Jerusalem were surprised to learn that Turkey is working to prevent Lebanese ships from attempting to sail to Gaza in violation of an Israeli blockade on the Hamas-run territory, the Yedioth Ahronoth daily reported Tuesday.

Israeli officials estimate that Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, who visited Damascus and Beirut last week, asked the Lebanese government to prevent the flotilla's departure as part of Ankara's efforts to ease tensions with Israel.

WTF? There is so much going on here... it's now Ankara, officials and the FM, not Erdogan, there's no demand of an apology from Israel, and Turkey just put the kibosh on the entire Free Gaza movement.

I'm guessing that in spite of Turkey's announcements that everything is fine and dandy, the warming relations with Greece and the multimillion dollar losses (real and potential) in revenue actually do matter to Turkey. In related news, while Israel lifted the travel advisory to Turkey, Israelis are staying away in droves. And NATO's pretty pissed that Turkey is sharing miltech with non-NATO countries.

Turkey has been described as a bridge between East and West. Right now, it's looking a little like this:

Not Even a Phone Call...

Jewish eastern Jerusalem houses gain approval

July 12, 2010

JERUSALEM (JTA) -- A Jerusalem municipal committee approved the construction of 32 homes in a Jewish neighborhood of eastern Jerusalem.

The district planning and construction committee on Monday approved the construction for Pisgat Zeev a week after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met in Washington with President Obama, who is opposed to building in eastern Jerusalem.

So, without fanfare, screaming mobs, 45-minute tirades or rip-shit anger, Israel continues to assert its sovereign right to do whatever the hell it wants in its own capital, fuckyouverymuch.

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A Turkish Bath

Get this: Turkey is again demanding an apology from Israel for killing nine morons who brought knives to a gun fight.

This isn't the first time they're demanding an apology. What part of "no" didn't they understand the first time around?

Listen, Erdogan, habibi, whatever it is you think you're going to gain out of this, you're already losing. That $2B in exports to Israel? Gone. Those tanks you want to stop Iran's expansion of the Emirate when he finally drinks the Kool Aid? Not happening. Modernizing those jets? Nuh-uh. Oh, and that $400M in chump change from the tourism industry? Israeli's are going to Greece instead. Now here's the biggie: energy, agriculture and irrigation projects estimated at $20 billion are at risk.

So, if we don't apologize for enforcing a legal blockade of our own territory, they're going to cut ties with Israel. They will no longer buy our military technology, host our tourists, sell Israel water and random consumer goods or work with us on a host of infrastructure projects. Oh and they'll piss off the US and a couple of other NATO allies in the process.

Yeah, that'll show us.

Pass the Kool-Aid.


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