TURKEY EXPELS ISRAELI DIPLOMAT AND DOWNGRADES ALL RELATIONS TO LOWEST LEVEL

NYTIMES:

Turkey said on Friday that it was downgrading its diplomatic and military ties with Israel and expelling its ambassador to register its displeasure at Israel’s refusal to apologize for a commando raid last year on a flotilla bound for Gaza in which nine people died.

Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Turkey would reduce its diplomatic representation in Israel to the level of second secretary — one of the lowest diplomatic ranks — and had ordered Israel’s ambassador, Gaby Levy, to leave Turkey by Wednesday.

Mr. Davutoglu also said that Turkey was suspending all military agreements signed between the former allies, saying “it is time Israel pays a price.” But, he said, relations could return to normal if Israel apologized.

“Our aim here is not to hurt our friendship but to return this friendship to its right track,” Mr. Davutoglu said.

TURKEY SHOULD APOLOGIZE TO ISRAEL FOR SPONSORING WHAT AMOUNTED TO A PARAMILITARY ATTACK ON ISRAEL'S SOVEREIGNTY.

AFTER ALL, THE PALMER REPORT HELD THAT THE SEARCH AND SEIZURES OF SHIPS ATTEMPTING TO ENTER GAZA WAS LEGAL.

AND THE PALMER REPORT SAID THAT THERE WERE PARAMILITARY ABOARD THE TURKISH SPONSORED SHIP AND THAT ISRAEL HAD THE RIGHT TO USE FORCE AGAINST THEM AS THEY RESISTED. THE REPORT MERELY SAID THAT ISRAEL USED TOO MUCH FORCE - A HIGHLY DEBATABLE POINT.

AND ANOTHER THING:

TURKEY SHOULD BE KICKED OUT OF NATO. (SHOULD HAVE BEEN A LONG LONG TIME AGO!)

FOR THIS DIPLOMATIC ATTACK ON ISRAEL AND FOR ATTACKING IRAQ AND FOR SUPPORTING IRAN.

TURKEY UNDER AKP/ISLAMIST RULE CANNOT BE A TRUSTED MEMBER OF NATO.

ISLAMISM AND THE FREE WORLD ARE ENEMIES - ALWAYS HAVE BEEN ANS ALWAYS WILL BE.

WE SHOULD TREAT ALL ISLAMIST COUNTRIES THE WAY THEY DESERVE TO BE TREATED: AS PARIAH STATES INIMICAL TO WESTERN VALUES AND TRADE.