One can count on Turkey to push the envelope, unwilling to permit the diplomatic process to unfold. Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu in a media interview today (Sept. 1st) announced that the deadline for an Israeli apology for the Marmara incident of 2010 is tomorrow, Friday. To date, Israel has not apologized  for the Israel naval commando operation on the so-called humanitarian aid ship that intended on breaking Israel’s naval embargo on Gaza.

Turkey has much to lose by cutting ties with Israel, once a popular tourist attraction for Israelis, but it appears that Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is willing to pay the price, standing on Islamic pride and a need to bring Jerusalem to its knees.

The foreign minister, who is currently in Paris, is planning to return to Ankara on Friday morning, timed with the scheduled publication of America’s Palmer Report, probing the Israeli operation involving the Marmara. To Turkey’s dismay, UN Secretary-General Bank ki-Moon has postponed releasing the report for a third time, with the media stating the move was at the behest of Israel. This appears to have infuriated Turkey.

Turkey however appears to prefer to push the matter, hence today’s ultimatum for an apology, which officials indicated in the past would restore diplomatic relations, or alternatively, a possible cut in diplomatic relations. Reports indicate that Ankara sent a message to Jerusalem threatening to cut diplomatic ties if an official apology is not forthcoming, included in the Palmer report. This message was delivered by the United States according to media reports.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)