VZCZCXRO7309
PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN
RUEHLZ RUEHNP RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHAK #2190/01 3651731
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 301731Z DEC 08
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8341
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC//J-3/J-5// PRIORITY
RUEUITH/ODC ANKARA TU PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 002190 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/SE, NEA/IPA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PBTS PGOV PTER IS TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY CONDEMNS GAZA ATTACKS 
 
REF: ANKARA 2174 
 
GOT OFFICIALS SLAM ISRAEL 
-------------------------- 
¶1. (U) Turkey has reacted strongly to Israeli attacks in 
Gaza.  PM Erdogan has called the attacks a  "crime against 
humanity," a "blow to world peace," and complained they 
showed a "lack of respect" for Turkey, which has been 
exerting great efforts to restore peace in the region. 
President Gul was more balanced, calling the events 
"irresponsible," while noting that he had warned visiting 
Israeli PM Olmert on December 22 (reftel) that such attacks 
would lead to regional instability.  FM Babacan also 
condemned the attacks, though the Foreign Ministry Statement 
echoed President Gul's more balanced tone (see paragraph 7). 
Turkey's Directorate for Religious Affairs (Diyanet), 
however, added fuel to the fire December 29, calling the 
attacks "sordid" and a "shame for humanity."  Parliamentary 
Israel Friendship Group members, including Chairman Murat 
Mercan and Egemen Bagis, who also heads the U.S.-Turkey 
Inter-Parliamentary Friendship Caucus, resigned en masse.  In 
resigning, Nationalist Action Party (MHP) Deputy Mehmet 
Sandir said he "would not shake Israel's bloody hand" and 
"cannot be a friend of a country killing innocent women and 
children." 
 
PUBLIC REACTION EQUALLY INTENSE 
------------------------------- 
¶2. (U) GOT remarks reflect, but have also contributed to, the 
Turkish public's intensely negative reaction to the attacks. 
Large protests were held December 28 in Istanbul and Ankara, 
where the Israeli Embassy was pelted with snowballs.  New 
Year's celebrations in Istanbul's Taksim Square have been 
canceled in solidarity with Gazans.  Leading Turkish human 
rights NGOs issues a joint press statement December 29 
calling the attacks a violation of humanitarian law and a 
crime against humanity, urging peace and questioning why the 
attacks were carried out during "lame duck administrations" 
in the U.S. and Israel. 
 
MEDIA STOKES ANTI-ISRAEL SENTIMENT 
---------------------------------- 
¶3. (U) The press has further stoked public reaction, with 
newspapers across the political spectrum carrying sensational 
headlines condemning the Israeli attacks.  Liberal "Radikal" 
carried the headlines, "Gaza Covered in Corpses," and 
"All-out Brutality Against Palestine" in their December 29 
and 30 editions, with liberal columnist Cengiz Candar calling 
the situation a "bloodbath."  Mainstream "Sabah" reported, 
"Dead Children Will Not Grow Up," next to photographs of four 
young sisters killed in a missile attack.  Pro-government, 
Islamist "Yeni Safak" carried the headline, "Like Hitler," 
and leftist "Taraf," "This Cannot be the Will of God," as 
"Israel violates one of the Ten Commandments:  Thou Shall Not 
Kill." 
 
A BLOW TO TURKISH EFFORTS TO MEDIATE PEACE 
------------------------------------------ 
¶4. (U) The Gaza attacks are seen here as a setback for 
Turkish efforts to mediate Israeli-Syrian peace; Damascus 
announced December 28 it would cease all Turkish-mediated 
indirect contacts with Israel.  "Radikal" columnist Murat 
Yetkin and mainstream "Milliyet" columnist Fikret Bila 
focused their reporting on PM Erdogan's anger that Israel 
launched the attacks only days after Olmert visited Ankara, 
where he promised to avoid suffering, while undercutting 
Turkish efforts to advance Israeli-Syrian peace, damaging 
Turkey's credibility as a mediator, and giving the appearance 
of Turkish complicity in the attacks.  Yetkin highlighted 
that Turkey, unlike Israel, seeks to avoid civilian 
casualties in its operations against the terrorist PKK. 
Israeli actions, he wrote, trigger allegations that Israel 
uses civilian casualties as a tool.  "Milliyet" columnist 
Semih Idiz offered rare perspective in his reporting, 
cautioning that Erdogan, by condemning only Israel and making 
no reference in his remarks to Hamas rocket attacks, will 
strengthen the position of those who perceive a rising 
Islamic trend in Turkey. 
 
ERDOGAN TO TRAVEL TO SYRIA, JORDAN, EGYPT AND SAUDI ARABIA 
--------------------------------------------- ------------- 
¶5. (U) Government spokesman Deputy PM Cemil Cicek announced 
December 29 that PM Erdogan would travel to Syria, Jordan, 
 
ANKARA 00002190  002 OF 003 
 
 
Egypt and Saudi Arabia December 31-January 1 to seek regional 
support to stop the Israeli attacks and lift the blockade of 
Gaza.  FM Babacan and Egyptian FM Aboul Gheit, in a news 
conference following their talks in Ankara, urged Israel to 
halt immediately its offensive, warning that the continuation 
of the conflict may spread beyond Gaza.  Babacan expressed 
his "profound regret and disappointment" in Israel but also 
urged Hamas to stop its rocket attacks.  He urged the 
international community to mobilize to provide humanitarian 
assistance to the Palestinians in Gaza -- the issue which PM 
Erdogan reportedly told Gheit, in their meeting, was the 
highest priority at the moment.  Babacan also said all 
channels of communication remain open, including with Hamas. 
According to press reports, Babacan spoke with Israeli FM 
Livni December 29; Erdogan had canceled a December 27 
telephone consultation with PM Olmert. 
 
TURKISH HUMANITARIAN AID DISPATCHED TO GAZA 
------------------------------------------- 
¶6. (U) In a December 28 interview with mainstream "Aksam," 
Israeli Ambassador to Turkey Gabby Levy said Israel would 
"keep its promise" to President Gul and PM Erdogan to prevent 
a humanitarian catastrophe and has allowed Turkish aid to 
enter Gaza.  The Turkish Red Crescent (Kizilay) has 
dispatched ten trucks carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza, 
which is expected to reach there in the next four days. 
Kizilay Director General Tasli said his organization has been 
in continued negotiations with Israeli authorities to deliver 
humanitarian aid to Gaza over the past 15 days. 
 
TEXT OF MFA STATEMENT ON GAZA ATTACKS (AS RELEASED) 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
¶7. (U) BEGIN TEXT: 
 
 
28 December 2008 
 
PRESS RELEASE 
(Unofficial Translation) 
 
Turkey is undertaking intensive diplomatic initiatives 
regarding the recent developments in the Gaza Strip. 
 
In this respect, President Abdullah Gul, Prime Minister Recep 
Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister Ali Babacan conveyed our 
concerns and views over the phone to their counterparts in 
the countries both in and outside of the region as well as 
the Secretary Generals of international organisations. 
 
During his contact with the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, 
Prime Minister Erdogan stressed the need for an active 
involvement by the UN for immediate cessation of the Israeli 
military operations and the provision of humanitarian aid to 
the people of the Gaza Strip. 
 
Foreign Minister Babacan requested an emergency meeting of 
the OIC Foreign Ministers to discuss the developments in the 
Gaza Strip on his call to the OIC Secretary General Prof. Dr. 
Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu. Secretary General Ihsanoglu made the 
necessary announcement to this effect. 
 
The calls and initiatives will continue today. 
 
Turkey also intensified its humanitarian assistance it has 
already been extending to the Gaza Strip where many lives 
were lost and hundreds were injured. In this respect, 10 
trucks carrying humanitarian aid will depart from Turkey this 
morning. Furthermore, 5 of the 15 ambulances donated to 
Palestine reached the Erez crossing point between Israel and 
the Gaza Strip this morning. Turkey is determined to continue 
its assistance. 
 
Our Ministry and Diplomatic Missions in the region are on 
alert. We are following the developments closely. We are also 
monitoring the conditions of the Turkish citizens living in 
the Gaza Strip. Contacts and preparations are being made in 
order to facilitate the launching of an evacuation process, 
should the circumstances require. 
 
END TEXT. 
 
Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at 
http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Turk ey 
 
ANKARA 00002190  003 OF 003 
 
 
 
Jeffrey