Turkey Plans Diplomatic Assault On Israel After Its Refusal To Apologize For Gaza Flotilla Raid

Sources in the Foreign Ministry said Turkey now intends to implement "Plan B", which will include an anti-Israel campaign in UN institutions, with an emphasis on the International Court of Justice. Turkey also plans to encourage the families of the raid's victims to file suits against senior Israeli figures in European courts.

Turkey may also further reduce the level of ties with Israel. There has been no Turkish ambassador in Israel for over a year, with the deputy chief of mission acting in his stead. The deputy chief of mission is due to leave in a few weeks and will apparently not be replaced.

Netanyahu told U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in a phone call Tuesday night that Israel would not be issuing an apology, and this means the United Nations report on the events of May 31, 2010 can be expected to be published next Tuesday.

The release of the report, compiled by a committee headed by former New Zealand Prime Minister Geoffrey Palmer, had been delayed several times as Israel and Turkey tried to repair relations between them.

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http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/turkey-plans-diplomatic-assault-on-israel-after-its-refusal-to-apologize-for-gaza-flotilla-raid-1.379202

Israel's new friend: Why Greece is thwarting Gaza flotilla

It's a country Israel has been courting since a raid on last year's flotilla ended in the death of nine Turkish citizens, severely damaging relations between the Jewish state and one of its most important Mediterranean allies. Desperate for new friends in the region, Israel reached out to Greece, offering generous military assistance to the debt-ridden state.

The fruits of that emerging friendship have been on display over the past week. First, Greek bureaucrats sought to delay the departure of the ships laden with activists and some aid meant to highlight the humanitarian effect of Israel's blockade on Gaza. When the US and Canadian boats finally departed, armed Greek commandos forced them back to shore.

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Middle-East/2011/0705/Israel-s-new-friend-Why-Greece-is-thwarting-Gaza-flotilla