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Last update - 21:49 08/11/2009
Turkey PM: Israel war crimes worse than Sudan
By News Agencies and Haaretz Service
Tags: Israel news, Turkey, Syria

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday accused Israel of committing greater crimes against Palestinians during its war in the Gaza Strip than those for which Sudanese leader Omar al-Bashir had been indicted.

Erdogan said he would rather confront Bashir, indicted for orchestrating crimes against humanity in Darfur, than discuss state killings of civilians with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The Turkish prime minister also said that he did not believe that Bashir was guilty of the crimes for which he was indicted.
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"I cannot discuss this with Netanyahu but I can easily discuss such issues with Omar al-Bashir. I can say to his face: What you are doing is wrong," Erdogan said.

Erdogan said Bashir is free to join an Istanbul summit of the Organization of the Islamic Conference this week. The 57-nation group holds its main meetings Monday.

The Turkish prime minister said Ankara respects human rights and would not hesitate to challenge Bashir if it believed he had committed atrocities. But Erdogan said he does not believe that Sudanese paramilitary forces committed acts of genocide against African residents of Darfur.

"It is not possible for those who belong to the Muslim faith to carry out genocide," Erdogan told ruling party members.

Turkey does not recognize the International Criminal Court, the Netherlands-based body that in March issued an arrest warrant for al-Bashir. The court accused Sudan's leaders of orchestrating a campaign of murder, torture, rape and forced expulsions in Darfur.

"If there were such a thing in Darfur, we would be chasing this to the end," Erdogan said.

Meanwhile, Sudanese officials confirmed on Sunday that Bashir would not attend the summit in Istanbul. Bashir's initial plan to attend had propelled a series of objections by the European Union.

Sudan's state news agency Suna reported that Bashir had postponed his trip to return to Khartoum to discuss a deadlock over election laws with his coalition partners, the former southern rebel Sudan People's Liberation Movement.

Syria to Turkey: Keep Israel ties strong to broker peace

Syrian President Bashar Assad earlier Sunday urged Turkey to maintain good relations with Israel, in order to mediate Damascus-Jerusalem peace negotiations.

Assad made the comments in an interview with a Turkish newspaper, a day before the Organization of the Islamic Conference was to meet in Istanbul.

Netanyahu last month said that he did not want Ankara serving as mediator in any future diplomatic negotiations with Syria, in view of the crisis in relations between Israel and Turkey.

The recent tensions began when Turkey decided to ban Israel from an international air force drill on its territory, to protest the war in the Gaza Strip earlier this year.

Not long after, Israel's ambassador in Ankara, Gabi Levy, officially protested to Turkey's Foreign Ministry about a drama aired on public television in which actors portrayed Israeli soldiers executing Palestinians.

The tensions became a major issue during a meeting between Netanyahu and his visiting Spanish counterpart, Jose Luis Zapatero. During the meeting, Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos told Netanyahu that the Turks "will fall in line" if they serve as mediator between Israel and Syria.

Netanyahu said then that he objects to Turkey resuming its role as mediator and does not see how the country can become "an honest broker" between the two sides.

During Ehud Olmert's tenure as prime minister, Turkey mediated five rounds of talks between Israeli and Syrian officials. Toward the end of Olmert's term the two sides were on the verge of resuming direct negotiations.

At the last meeting between Olmert and Erdogan, the Turkish leader called Syrian President Bashar Assad and relayed messages to and from Olmert. But after Operation Cast Lead earlier this year and the freeze in negotiations with Syria, Erdogan said Olmert had stabbed him in the back.

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      1.   If anyone still had any doubts 21:10  |  Yonatan 08/11/09
      2.   Assad should visit Jerusalem 21:11  |  Arab 08/11/09
      3.   Turkey would fit right into the EU 21:17  |  SNURDLY 08/11/09
      4.   The Ottoman Empire reveals the Truth 21:21  |  smana 08/11/09
      5.   Does Anybody Still Want to Have Islamist Turks as Mediators? 21:23  |  massaraksh 08/11/09
      6.   May there be another to speak to Turkey? 21:25  |  Rankoo 08/11/09
      7.   A Perfect Example of Selective Morality 21:26  |  massaraksh 08/11/09
      8.   Many a "haaretz" columnists and Israeli professors agree with him 21:26  |  Absolute Sweden 08/11/09
      9.   State killings ? Do you mean Armenian genocide ? 21:32  |  Simon 08/11/09
      10.   to Mr. Erdogan 21:33  |  GA 08/11/09
      11.   He cannot discuss with Netanyahu 21:37  |  yona 08/11/09
      12.   BAD LUCK TURKS!!! 21:37  |  Ian 08/11/09
      13.   Syria asking Turkey 21:38  |  J.K. 08/11/09
      14.   Turkey needs a new prime minister 21:38  |  Basil 08/11/09
      15.   True 21:43  |  Rory 08/11/09
      16.   Remarks of Turkish PM 21:45  |  Nati Hans 08/11/09
      17.   OF Course Israelis are not Islamist brothers.Edrogan is becoming 21:45  |  PETER SM 08/11/09
      18.   Oh well, kiss EU membership goodbye 21:46  |  AB 08/11/09
      19.   Israel must consider the Turkish option. 21:47  |  Stephen. 08/11/09
      20.   Well, it looks like Turkey is lost 21:53  |  Elmer 08/11/09
      21.   Absurd 21:54  |  Mark Lincoln 08/11/09
      22.   Turkey`s lost it`s mind 21:55  |  Robert 08/11/09
      23.   Turkish PM auditioning for spot on SNL 21:56  |  Jacob Blues 08/11/09
      24.   clear for all to hear & see: muslims can`t commit genocide - 22:00  |  ivo 08/11/09
      25.   Turkey 22:03  |  Joshua 08/11/09
      26.   Honesty is the best policy 22:09  |  Natallie Durson 08/11/09
      27.   This kind of makes me feel sick! 22:15  |  syrian opinion 08/11/09
      28.   The man is losing his mind. 22:19  |  flower 08/11/09
      29.   Demonizing Israel 22:20  |  Anonymous 08/11/09
      30.   Again, my dear Israeli/Diaspora friends, would Erdogan have..... 22:21  |  Swiss (Dino) 08/11/09
      31.   Turkey 22:21  |  Smith 08/11/09
      32.   This guy is a serious embarassment 22:23  |  MarkC 08/11/09
      33.   Funny Erdogan 22:24  |  Alex 08/11/09
      34.   Israel... 22:25  |  Heather Czerniak 08/11/09
      35.   And Olmert was using him as intermeiary with Syria? And 22:27  |  curious 08/11/09
      36.   AB #18 22:30  |  Mary Witherspoon 08/11/09
      37.   Erdogan smuggles weapons to Hezbola-Hamas via Syria-Egypt 22:31  |  Joseph .E 08/11/09
      38.   Turkey PM: Israel war crimes worse than Sudan 22:32  |  C Bruckmann 08/11/09
      39.   no desire 2 join EU , Israeli tourists not welcome 22:32  |  Najdati anzour 08/11/09
      40.   to mr.Erdogan 22:37  |  Ali 08/11/09
      41.   War crimes? Let`s discuss Armenian genocide Turkey is guilty off 22:37  |  Tom Lobo Meyer 08/11/09
      42.   to number 2 22:41  |  ahmad 08/11/09
      43.   Erdogan sticks up for his fellow Muslims, no matter what 22:46  |  Conroy 08/11/09
      44.   Turkey and Israel 22:48  |  Anonymous 08/11/09
      45.   #11 yona 22:48  |  syrian opinion 08/11/09
      46.   Israel should plan for war with Turkey! 22:54  |  Andrei 08/11/09
      47.   "Improved" ties with erdogan not necessarily a good thing 22:55  |  bernard ross 08/11/09
      48.   Break off relations with Turkey! 22:57  |  Mark Jeffery Koch 08/11/09
      49.   Turkey PM is Islamist-Jihadist supporter 22:59  |  Brod 08/11/09
      50.   He is not only Islamist. He is a bigot- idiot 23:03  |  Israeli citizen 08/11/09
      51.   Unbelievable...but not unexpected. 23:03  |  Matt 08/11/09
      52.   Turkey PM - Zionistic system 23:04  |  Guido Westerwelle 08/11/09
      53.   this from a nation responsible for 2 genocides 23:12  |  Observer 08/11/09
      54.   TURKEY IN ITS LOWEST LEVEL 23:13  |  Damasceno Knight 08/11/09
      55.   Turkey is scapegoat? 23:30  |  aslan yeter 08/11/09
      56.   Greece knows the turkish subject.... 23:31  |  massimo 08/11/09
      57.   Wow, truly a black eye on Turkeys face is this blind islamist 23:35  |  jj 08/11/09
      58.   Israel MADE Turkey military, now they feel to make war???? 23:41  |  D 08/11/09
      59.   How does this site attract such scumbags 23:48  |  Texan 08/11/09
      60.   Erdogan has gone-round-the-bend... 23:53  |  Esther 08/11/09
      61.   Guido should read some history books! 23:54  |  Harold 08/11/09
      62.   The canary in the mine 23:54  |  Gilad 08/11/09
      63.   Syrian opinion #26 23:55  |  yona 08/11/09
      64.   Turkish PM a Zero 23:56  |  The Teacher/Instruct 08/11/09
      65.   # Guido Westerwelle 23:58  |  Markos Souza 08/11/09
      66.   Ah-MAD (23) 00:06  |  Linichka 09/11/09
      67.   #2 From your mouth to the ear of Gd 00:11  |  tel aviv eyes 09/11/09
      68.   Just a tad over the top, wouldn`t you say? 00:14  |  Lee 09/11/09
      69.   Erdogan hypocrit 00:20  |  Ari 09/11/09
      70.   # guido 00:22  |  tel aviv eyes 09/11/09
      71.   Friend or foe 00:55  |  Kevin Milstein 09/11/09
      72.   Turkey has become extreme Islamic nation 01:11  |  Chaim Ben Kahan 09/11/09
      73.   It`s time for Israel to directly confront Erdogan 01:11  |  Doug Holland 09/11/09
      74.   Maybe, but nothing tops Turkey`s massacres 01:15  |  Noam 09/11/09
      75.   Turkey PM is stating 01:18  |  TOMY 09/11/09
      76.   Turks are one of the most genocidal country 01:24  |  TOMY 09/11/09
      77.   najdati anzour 01:39  |  Connie 09/11/09
      78.   War crimes in turkey 01:41  |  Rigoletto 09/11/09
      79.   Erdogan failed to use to right comparison 01:45  |  Joe 09/11/09
      80.   turkey=genocide 01:50  |  marion k 09/11/09
      81.   Basil #14: not bad but one more degree of humility needed - 01:53  |  ivo 09/11/09
      82.   Erdogan arguments are outrageous 01:54  |  Andrea 09/11/09
      83.   #2 Arab 02:01  |  dudi 09/11/09
      84.   True colors of "moderate" islamism 02:03  |  Laurent Szyster 09/11/09
      85.   turk president 02:19  |  bart martin 09/11/09
      86.   why do zionist believe they have something to say about EU & NATO 02:37  |  ? got news 09/11/09
      87.   #2 Arab...none of the aforementioned seem 02:38  |  Lynn 09/11/09
      88.   to Arab #2 02:47  |  Felix 09/11/09
      89.   To#2 and #11 02:53  |  Israeli 09/11/09
      90.   @23 Ahmad 03:09  |  Felix 09/11/09
      91.   Turkey openly anti-Semitic 03:46  |  American 09/11/09
      92.   U got to luv them Turkeys 04:03  |  Abdool 09/11/09
      93.   Attaturk put a curse upon Sultan Erdogan 04:12  |  Leonidas 09/11/09
      94.   Erdogan... speaking out of both sides of his mouth 04:26  |  allang 09/11/09
      95.   Next Erdogan will invite Bin ladin to Turkey 04:49  |  Abuya 09/11/09
      96.   Erdogan is right about Bashir! 07:41  |  Fritz T. 09/11/09
      97.   Turkey talks Turkey ? 08:31  |  Artu 09/11/09
      98.   #20 Turks Also NOT welcome 09:36  |  Chris 09/11/09
      99.   Turkey PM`s comments. 09:54  |  David Nigel Braham 09/11/09
      100.   EDROGAN is dragging secular Turkey into the Islamic orbit!! 10:03  |  PETER SM 09/11/09
      101.   Oh yeah? 10:30  |  Ben 09/11/09
      102.   turkish atrocity against kurds 10:44  |  welat 09/11/09
      103.   @Chris - British are welcome in Turkey 10:58  |  some guy 09/11/09
      104.   #64 11:14  |  Chris 09/11/09
      105.   Israel and history 12:06  |  Fritz T. 09/11/09
      106.   Eye of a needle 12:10  |  Simon_Of_Sydney 09/11/09
      107.   Eye of a needle 12:17  |  Simon_Of_Sydney 09/11/09
      108.   Eye of a needle 12:20  |  Simon_Of_Sydney 09/11/09
      109.   Najdati anzour So why doesTurkey keep advertising.You speak for?? 12:20  |  PETER SM 09/11/09
      110.   64# Welat we know Turkey are Cowards 12:28  |  Israeliguy 09/11/09
      111.   55# Kalimera/Shalom 12:41  |  Israeliguy 09/11/09
      112.   Some Guy - and why you are wrong 12:42  |  ZISD 09/11/09
      113.   Erdogan should learn to count 13:07  |  The Prophet 09/11/09
      114.   He has the CHutzpah to say what he thinks whereas Israel leaders 13:55  |  blunt vs. hypocrite 09/11/09
      115.   Arab # 2 14:41  |  ChanahS 09/11/09
      116.   # 80 - got no news 14:43  |  ChanahS 09/11/09
      117.   Fritz 99 14:48  |  ChanahS 09/11/09
      118.   Since Turkey has already made it`s point load-and-clear... 14:53  |  Esther 09/11/09
      119.   Najdati Anzour from Izmir 15:09  |  David Nayir 09/11/09
      120.   Bashir-Bibi 15:22  |  Confused 09/11/09
      121.   Noam #68: nothing comparable in Gaza to what went on in Sudan - 15:28  |  ivo 09/11/09
      122.   Brilliant Syrian diplomacy... 15:32  |  Esther 09/11/09
      123.   Wrong on Darfur, Right on Israel 15:37  |  Yaakov Sullivan 09/11/09
      124.   Dino #24: yes he would - 15:43  |  ivo 09/11/09
      125.   Israel vs 57 nations in lockstep 15:56  |  Mark from Georgia 09/11/09
      126.   Worse than Sudan? Hmmm...Armenia 1915? Hypocrites of the world? 16:06  |  just wondering 09/11/09
      127.   Dino`s inanities 28 16:56  |  ChanahS 09/11/09
      128.   Turkey is gearing up for a return of the Ottoman Empire 17:00  |  Jason 09/11/09
      129.   No No No---our war crimes are no where 17:00  |  enri igguns 09/11/09
      130.   The Title of the Article Should Be... 17:31  |  Eli 09/11/09
      131.   Arab #2: best post - 17:37  |  ivo 09/11/09
      132.   jkzdc 17:44  |  anton 09/11/09
      133.   Ataturk Turns in His Grave 18:07  |  Jane 09/11/09
      134.   obama lost turkey 18:20  |  dani 09/11/09
      135.   Nicely Said Turkey, Now I`d Love to Hear How You Explain It 18:21  |  Eli 09/11/09
      136.   Jane from sunny Palm Beach FL. 18:55  |  David Israel 09/11/09
      137.   Jane # 129 Poor Ataturk..he must be so disturbed.. 18:56  |  Benny 09/11/09
      138.   #61 Yona 18:58  |  syrian opinion 09/11/09
      139.   One more try 19:12  |  Mark Lincoln 09/11/09
      140.   In my opinion Israel`s behaviour of late is the cause of ... 19:34  |  S 09/11/09
      141.   Turkey`s descent to hell... 19:35  |  Maurice 09/11/09
      142.   Jane #129: Ataturk sure won`t like it - 19:45  |  ivo 09/11/09
      143.   Is this the real Erdogan 20:04  |  Dik 09/11/09
      144.   what about the kurds , Armenians and christians 20:07  |  robert 09/11/09
      145.   arab no. 2 21:01  |  io 09/11/09
      146.   Israel`s real crime 21:22  |  RfaelMoshe 09/11/09
      147.   despite what some say, bush had it right, obama is dead wrong 21:50  |  jon 09/11/09
      148.   To all those "Vitriol launchers" 22:14  |  Libertad 09/11/09
      149.   Truth 22:16  |  Gokhan 09/11/09
      150.   Oh Heather you do Understand eh?or have I misunderstood you? 22:25  |  JUST ME 09/11/09
      151.   #David Nayir & Najdati Anzour from Izmir 22:36  |  circassian 09/11/09
      152.   Time to cut relations with Turkey, at least temporarily 23:25  |  Markus Grafenburg 09/11/09
      153.   Honest Man 23:38  |  Abdulkerim 09/11/09
      154.   Erdogan is your best friend in the region 00:34  |  Fatih 10/11/09
      155.   They don`t call it a "Turkish Prison" for nothing 00:36  |  B`galil 10/11/09
      156.   Najdati anzour 00:58  |  Philippe 10/11/09
      157.   Israel has Lost Another Previously-Friendly State 01:39  |  chet 10/11/09
      158.   98 # made a salient point !!! 02:39  |  Dany 10/11/09
      159.   #1 - If anyone still had any doubts 03:07  |  Gully Foyle 10/11/09
      160.   Turkey 04:45  |  alcycle 10/11/09
      161.   Wrong on Darfur 06:00  |  Palestinian Prince 10/11/09
      162.   What he said is not Anti-Israel 06:04  |  Victor 10/11/09
      163.   no war crimes 06:24  |  shelly 10/11/09
      164.   to number 40 06:48  |  joseph 10/11/09
      165.   Turkey 08:48  |  Ralph 10/11/09
      166.   Why does Israel continue to sell Turkey weapons 09:00  |  Ethan 10/11/09
      167.   HEAR IT FROM A TURK! What he means is 09:48  |  Zeynep 10/11/09
      168.   Circassian from Istanbul 15:32  |  David Israel 10/11/09
      169.   Zeynep From Istanbul 15:46  |  David Israel 10/11/09
      170.   To all modern secular Turkish readers 16:26  |  David Israel 10/11/09
      171.   Zeynep @167 Right on dear lady. 22:44  |  JUST ME 10/11/09
      172.   Turkey has sided with Islam 11:00  |  Niels Jorgensen 12/11/09
      173.   Truth by Gokhan Turkey re:Erdogan@??? 02:00  |  Just Me 14/11/09
      174.   Jason if Turkey is gearing up for a return of the Ottoman Empire? 02:04  |  Just Me 14/11/09
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