Turkey's Erdogan Threatens Israel : "Our Navy Attack Ships Can Be There At Any Moment"

Apparently the attempts by the US and NATO to get Turkey's Islamist leader Tayipp Erdogan to tone down the war of words against Israel has not been successful.

In his latest broadside, made during a visit to Tunisia as part of a tour of the Arab world, Erdogan threatened Israel with attacks by the Turkish Navy, saying "Israel cannot do whatever it wants in the eastern Mediterranean. They will see what our decisions will be on this subject. Our navy attack ships can be there at any moment."

Erdogan is still visibly angry over the UN Palmer report, which investigated the Mavi Mamera incident in which ships backed by Turkey's government attempted to run Israel's naval blockade of Gaza. Nine Turkish citizens were killed when they attacked Israeli naval commandos attempting to board the ship after it refused orders to sail into the Israeli port of Ashdod.

The Palmer Report stated that the blockade was legal under international law and a legitimate security precaution, but faulted Israel for what it termed excessive force. Turkey has rejected the report out of hand and Erdogan has said that Turkish warships will accompany the next flotilla that attempts to break the Gaza blockade.

The ramped up rhetoric against Israel is key to Erdogan's attempt to assert Turkish leadership over the Arab world, and stoking the already existing hatred of Jews and Israel is always a successful tactic.

Since Erdogan and the Islamist AKP party took over Turkey, it's formerly good relationship with Israel has deteriorated, and Erdogan's recent purge of the Turkish military ensures that there aren't too many friends of Israel left in any positions of authority.

It's highly doubtful in my opinion that Turkey's hostile stance will lead to a war between Israel and Turkey in the near future. Turkey's economy is not really war ready, something that's revealed by the Turkish decision not to end commercial trade with Israel. Turkey currently exports more to Israel than it imports, and the items the Turks get from Israel - high tech, diamonds and technology - are not easily replaced as the metals, foodstuffs and clothing Turkey exports to Israel.

Also, a war between Turkey and Israel would compromise NATO, of which Turkey is a member and would put the US and NATO, European nations in the position of either having to go to war against Israel on Turkey's behalf or repudiate their NATO commitments. Seeing as NATO has had problems toppling a far weaker Moamar Khaddaffi, it's difficult to see the West going to war against the Jewish State on Turkey's behalf. An additional problem for the Turks pursuing a war against Israel is the fact that Turkey's military uses primarily US- made equipment and is dependent on US -made spare parts, and it's doubtful the US would continue to supply Turkey during a war with Israel.

For the moment, Israel has avoided responding directly to Erdogan's provocation, but it's obvious that the close relationship Israel and Turkey once enjoyed is over and will not be renewed as long as the Erdogan regime remains in power.

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