[ 05/06/2010 - 04:38 PM ]
GAZA, (PIC)-- Ahmed Yousef, the foreign undersecretary in the Gaza Strip, has said that Turkish premier Recep Erdogan might visit Gaza soon on board the Freedom Flotilla-2.
Yousef told reporters on Saturday at Gaza port that Erdogan's visit to the Strip was not far-fetched, expecting the visit to take place very soon.
The European campaign to end the siege on Gaza along with European and Turkish relief organizations had announced intention to organize a new aid flotilla within the few coming weeks to break the siege on Gaza under the name of Freedom Flotilla-2.
A Lebanese newspaper published on Saturday said that Erdogan was seriously pondering visiting Gaza to break the Israeli siege imposed on it for the fourth consecutive year.
Al-Mustakbal quoted well informed Turkish sources as saying that Erdogan told the American administration that he was planning to ask the Turkish navy to escort a new relief convoy to Gaza but the American officials asked him to give the idea a further study.
The Israeli bloody attack on the Freedom Flotilla in international waters raised the ire of Turkey, which asked the world community to condemn Israel and put on trial all those responsible as war criminals for the attack that left dozens of Turkish and other foreign activists either killed or injured.
Meanwhile, tens of thousands of Turkish citizens took to the streets of Istanbul on Saturday to protest the Israeli attack that killed nine Turkish civilians.
Turkish rallies have been organized on daily basis since last Monday when the attack occurred and all demanded punishing Israel.
Erdogan Considers Visiting Gaza Himself
05/06/2010
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is considering going to Gaza strip himself in order to break the siege, al-Mustaqbal newspaper quoted "knowledgeable sources" as saying.
The newspaper said that "as part of the open conflict between Turkey and Israel following the massacre against the 'freedom sail' to Gaza and the protest sparked in the world, Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan is considering going to Gaza himself in order to break the blockade imposed on the Strip."
The sources noted that the Turkish leader had raised the option in a conversation with his associates.
According to the report, Erdogan notified the American administration he was planning to ask his navy to escort another aid flotilla, but that American officials asked him to delay the plan in order to look into the matter.
The newspaper reported that the Erdogan government was under a lot of pressure from "political and popular groups" to annul all military agreements with Israel, but that the military establishment was strongly opposed to this demand.
The Turkish prime minister harshly criticized Israel over its deadly attack against Freedom flotilla on Monday which left nine Turkish men martyred and around 60 wounded with tens have been detained and then released.
Turkey's ambassador to Washington warned Friday that his country could be forced by its people to break relations with Israel.
Earlier on Friday, Erdogan renwed criticism to the Zionist entity , describing the Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas fighters as " resistance fighters who are struggling to defend their land. They have won an election."
Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc said on Friday that his country was "assessing deals with Israel" in order to reduce its relations with Israel to "a minimum" in the wake of Monday's raid.
"This incident has left an irreparable and deep scar" on relations, Gul added
River to Sea
Uprooted Palestinian
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