21 dec 2013
(Israel) will renew regular flights to Turkey following a hiatus of more than 5 years, Israeli minister announced. Following months of discussion between the two countries’ aviation authorities, Israel's so-called Civil Aviation Authority Director and his Turkish counterpart signed Tuesday an agreement in Ankara allowing for the renewal of flights by Israeli carriers to Turkey, Jerusalem Post reported.
"The Israeli airlines halted scheduled and charter flights to Turkey more than 5 years ago, due to disputes over security arrangements at the airports in which the Israeli carriers landed," it added.
Turkey's status as an Israeli tourist attraction was dimmed in the past three years following the Mavi Marmara incident.In 2010, Israeli occupation commandos attacked Turkish vessel Mavi Marmara which aimed to break the blockade Israel imposed -and remains- on the Gaza Strip, leaving nine Turkish activists dead.
"The Israeli airlines halted scheduled and charter flights to Turkey more than 5 years ago, due to disputes over security arrangements at the airports in which the Israeli carriers landed," it added.
Turkey's status as an Israeli tourist attraction was dimmed in the past three years following the Mavi Marmara incident.In 2010, Israeli occupation commandos attacked Turkish vessel Mavi Marmara which aimed to break the blockade Israel imposed -and remains- on the Gaza Strip, leaving nine Turkish activists dead.
23 oct 2013
Turkish hackers have launched a cyber attack on Israeli websites, as a response to the Israeli threats against Turkish intelligence chief Hakan Fidan, Turkish media sources revealed. Turkish activists have declared an electronic campaign in support of the head of Turkish intelligence after being subjected to an Israeli incitement campaign launched by an Israeli writer who stated
"If anyone deserves to find a special surprise in his car one morning, it’s Fidan, the Turkish spy chief."
As a response, Turkish hackers have pirated Israeli sites and published Fidan's photos and Turkish flag and logos reading “We will launch an electronic war against all states that are labeled as hostile to our country and our religion.”
Israeli sources have admitted that Israel lost $ 55 million during the three first months of 2013 due to cyber attacks launched by supporters of the Palestinian cause around the world.
"If anyone deserves to find a special surprise in his car one morning, it’s Fidan, the Turkish spy chief."
As a response, Turkish hackers have pirated Israeli sites and published Fidan's photos and Turkish flag and logos reading “We will launch an electronic war against all states that are labeled as hostile to our country and our religion.”
Israeli sources have admitted that Israel lost $ 55 million during the three first months of 2013 due to cyber attacks launched by supporters of the Palestinian cause around the world.
17 oct 2013
Turkey deliberately blew the cover of an Israeli spy ring working inside Iran in early 2012 and dealt a significant blow to Israeli intelligence gathering, according to a report in the Washington Post on Thursday. There was no immediate comment from Israel or Turkey, but Israeli ministers have accused Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan of adopting an anti-Israeli stance in recent years to bolster his country's standing in the Muslim world.
Once-strong relations between Turkey and Israel hit the rocks in 2010 after Israeli commandos killed nine Turkish activists who were seeking to break Israel's long-standing naval blockade of the Gaza Strip.
Washington Post columnist David Ignatius said Israel apparently used to run part of its Iranian spy network out of Turkey, giving Turkish secret services the opportunity to monitor their movements. The paper quoted U.S. officials as saying Israel believed that the Turks would never turn on the Jewish state after years of cooperation.
However, it said that in early 2012 Erdogan disclosed to Tehran the identities of 10 Iranians who had travelled to Turkey to meet Israeli spies.
In April 2012, Iran announced that it had broken up a large Israeli spy network and arrested 15 suspects. It was not clear if this was connected to the alleged Turkish leak.
Iran has long accused Israel of spying inside the Islamic Republic and of killing a string of Iranian nuclear scientists - the last in January 2012. Israel and the West accuse Iran of looking to build an atomic bomb. Tehran denies this.
FAILED RECONCILIATION
Deputy Israeli Foreign Minister Zeev Elkin declined to comment on the Washington Post report, but said relations with Turkey were "very complex".
"The Turks made a strategic decision ... to seek the leadership of our region, in the Middle East, and they chose the convenient anti-Israeli card in order to build up leadership," he told Israel Radio.
Energy Minister Silvan Shalom also declined to comment, but told Israel Radio that after unrest shook the Arab world in 2011, Erdogan had sought to win "legitimisation as the undisputed leader of the new revolution".
The United States tried to broker a reconciliation between its allies Turkey and Israel in March, persuading Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to apologise for the 2010 killings.
However, Israeli officials said subsequent attempts to build bridges by agreeing on a deal to compensate families of those killed in the Israeli naval raid had floundered.
"The only thing that we have achieved since March is to show the Americans that Erdogan is not remotely interested in a reconciliation," said an Israeli diplomat, who declined to be named given the sensitivity surrounding the issue.
Shortly after the 2010 incident off the shores of Gaza, the then-Israeli defence minister Ehud Barak voiced concern that Turkey could share Israeli intelligence secrets with Iran.
"There are quite a few secrets of ours (entrusted to Turkey) and the thought that they could become open to the Iranians over the next several months ... is quite disturbing," Israel's Army Radio quoted him as saying in August 2010.
Once-strong relations between Turkey and Israel hit the rocks in 2010 after Israeli commandos killed nine Turkish activists who were seeking to break Israel's long-standing naval blockade of the Gaza Strip.
Washington Post columnist David Ignatius said Israel apparently used to run part of its Iranian spy network out of Turkey, giving Turkish secret services the opportunity to monitor their movements. The paper quoted U.S. officials as saying Israel believed that the Turks would never turn on the Jewish state after years of cooperation.
However, it said that in early 2012 Erdogan disclosed to Tehran the identities of 10 Iranians who had travelled to Turkey to meet Israeli spies.
In April 2012, Iran announced that it had broken up a large Israeli spy network and arrested 15 suspects. It was not clear if this was connected to the alleged Turkish leak.
Iran has long accused Israel of spying inside the Islamic Republic and of killing a string of Iranian nuclear scientists - the last in January 2012. Israel and the West accuse Iran of looking to build an atomic bomb. Tehran denies this.
FAILED RECONCILIATION
Deputy Israeli Foreign Minister Zeev Elkin declined to comment on the Washington Post report, but said relations with Turkey were "very complex".
"The Turks made a strategic decision ... to seek the leadership of our region, in the Middle East, and they chose the convenient anti-Israeli card in order to build up leadership," he told Israel Radio.
Energy Minister Silvan Shalom also declined to comment, but told Israel Radio that after unrest shook the Arab world in 2011, Erdogan had sought to win "legitimisation as the undisputed leader of the new revolution".
The United States tried to broker a reconciliation between its allies Turkey and Israel in March, persuading Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to apologise for the 2010 killings.
However, Israeli officials said subsequent attempts to build bridges by agreeing on a deal to compensate families of those killed in the Israeli naval raid had floundered.
"The only thing that we have achieved since March is to show the Americans that Erdogan is not remotely interested in a reconciliation," said an Israeli diplomat, who declined to be named given the sensitivity surrounding the issue.
Shortly after the 2010 incident off the shores of Gaza, the then-Israeli defence minister Ehud Barak voiced concern that Turkey could share Israeli intelligence secrets with Iran.
"There are quite a few secrets of ours (entrusted to Turkey) and the thought that they could become open to the Iranians over the next several months ... is quite disturbing," Israel's Army Radio quoted him as saying in August 2010.
9 oct 2013
A Hamas delegation led by its political bureau chairman Khaled Mishaal conferred with Turkish premier Recep Erdogan in Ankara on Tuesday night on Palestinian developments. They discussed developments in the region and the Israeli violations in occupied Jerusalem and the Aqsa Mosque in addition to the difficult living conditions in Gaza Strip due to the siege.
Erdogan affirmed his country’s support for the Palestinian people and their legitimate rights. He condemned Israeli violations in occupied Jerusalem and the Aqsa Mosque. The premier said that his country would continue efforts to break the siege on Gaza.
Four political bureau members of Hamas attended the meeting along with Turkish foreign minister Ahmet Davutoğlu and other officials.
Erdogan affirmed his country’s support for the Palestinian people and their legitimate rights. He condemned Israeli violations in occupied Jerusalem and the Aqsa Mosque. The premier said that his country would continue efforts to break the siege on Gaza.
Four political bureau members of Hamas attended the meeting along with Turkish foreign minister Ahmet Davutoğlu and other officials.
8 oct 2013
Political bureau member of Hamas Khaled Mishaal arrived in Ankara on Tuesday heading a senior-level delegation of his movement on an official visit to Turkey. Political bureau member of Hamas Ezzet Al-Resheq told Quds press that Mishaal would exchange views with Turkish officials on Palestinian developments.
He said that Mishaal, who would meet Turkish premier Recep Erdogan along with other officials, would discuss challenges facing the Palestinian question in light of changes sweeping the region.
He said that Mishaal, who would meet Turkish premier Recep Erdogan along with other officials, would discuss challenges facing the Palestinian question in light of changes sweeping the region.
