Turkey's ties with Israel could plunge to a new low as Ankara threatened to draw-down its economic and military ties with Tel Aviv in the wake of Monday's Israeli attack on the Gaza aid flotilla.
Nine people, most of them Turkish activists were killed when Israeli commandos slithered from helicopters and stormed Mavi Marmara, the lead Gaza bound aid ship of the convoy.
On Friday, Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc said that Ankara
was “assessing deals with Israel”. “We are serious about this subject,” he told the Turkish broadcaster NTV.
“We may plan to reduce our relations with Israel to a minimum, but to assume everything involving another country is stopped in an instant, to say we have crossed you out of our address book, is not the custom of our state.”
Mr. Arinc made these remarks at a time when emotions were running high
on account of the killings, and the funerals that were being held.
On Friday Istanbul witnessed a rally in connection with a memorial service that was held for journalist Cevdet Kiliclar, who had been shot in the head during the storming of the ship. Funeral services were held for eight other victims on Thursday, when thousands turned out in Istanbul to pay their respects. The dead included Furkan Dogan, who was 19 when tragedy struck.
Meanwhile, another aid-ship Rachel Corrie was heading towards Gaza, and was set to arrive close to the 30 km exclusion zone around Gaza on Saturday morning.
On board are 20 activists including Nobel peace prize winner, Mairead Corrigan Maguire.
