Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan is already working to identify those responsible for the failed coup, pointing a finger at General Akin Öztürk, a former Turkish Air Force commander. The 68-year-old former commander retired last year as air force chief, but continued serving as a member of Turkey’s Supreme Military Council.

He has already been taken into custody by Turkish authorities along with a handful of other senior Turkish military commanders involved in the failed coup that began on Friday night. Two members of Turkey’s Constitutional Court are among those in custody as well. According to Turkish officials speaking to the media, Öztürk, the former air force commander, served as a Turkish military attaché to Israel in the 1990s.

Officials in Turkey’s Prosecutor’s Office have announced Öztürk and the others taken into custody will face charges of treason. It is pointed out that they do not face the death penalty, which is illegal according to the country’ constitution but some feel and exception may be made in this case as a deterrent to prevent future attempts to overthrow the government.

In Israel, intelligence and military officials continue to monitor events and according to reports, the failed coup changes nothing as Israel and Turkey recently signed a reconciliation agreement. Analysts explain that if the coup had succeeded and Turkey would have fallen under military rule, Israeli government officials would not have shed a tear under current circumstances.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)