Turkish warships to ensure safe passage of Gaza aid flotillas

Turkey this week warned it would increase navy patrols in the eastern Mediterranean in response to Israel’s refusal to apologize for the raid, in which nine Turkish citizens were killed.

But Mr Erdogan’s comments to Al-Jazeera television were the first time the country has said its navy will use force to protect ships attempting to break Israel’s blockade of the coastal Palestinian territory. Dan Meridor, the Israeli minister in charge of intelligence, called Mr Erdogan’s threat “grave and serious… Turkey, which declares Israel is not above international law, must understand that it isn’t either”.

While adding that he wanted to avoid “verbal saber rattling” he said: “I think anyone who is listening can make their own mind up about him and the direction he has chosen.”

Eight Turks and a Turkish-American were killed aboard the Turkish-registered Mavi Marmara, part of an international flotilla trying to break the blockade, which Israel imposed in 2007 to stop militants bringing weapons into Gaza. Serkan Nergis, a spokesman for IHH, the Turkish Islamic charity, said there were no plans for a second aid flotilla, though it is still collecting aid for Gaza.

But while the prospects for a military confrontation may be distant, the souring of close relations between Turkey and Israel, which gave Israel a strong defence ally and allowed Turkey to purchase high-tech military equipment from Israel, has caused concern among Turkey’s western allies. Relations declined after 2008 over Israel’s war in Gaza, with Mr Erdogan repeatedly attacking Israel for the deaths of Palestinians. Mr Erdogan, whose party has roots in Turkey’s Islamic movement, has adopted a more hard line approach since a strong election victory in July gave him a third consecutive term in office.

The rift with Israel comes as Turkey’s bid to join the European Union has all but faltered and the country has forged closer ties with the Arab and Muslim worlds.

While Turkey has agreed to host a Nato missile defense system aimed at countering ballistic missile threats from neighboring Iran, it insists it cannot turn a blind eye to Israel’s actions.

“At the moment, there is no doubt that the Turkish military ships’ primary duty is to protect [Turkish] ships,” Turkey’s state-run newspaper Anatolia quoted Mr Erdogan as telling Al-Jazeera. “We will be making humanitarian aid. This aid will no longer be subjected to any kind of attack as the Mavi Marmara was.”

Kemal Kilicdaroglu, the leader of the opposition Republican People’s Party, said Turkey’s Red Crescent was already sending aid to Gaza without breaching the blockade.

He called on Mr Erdogan to “justify” in parliament the threats to send warships to escort aid ships.