The attack on the Freedom Flotilla has caused a serious crisis between Israel and Turkey. To start with, what is your opinion on those events at sea?
From the very beginning I thought it was not only a very stupid operation, but also a mistake from all possible points of view. I believe it was yet further evidence that Israel does not understand the limits of the use of force, the intrinsic limits in the use of power. In my opinion this was a mini-operation of the Cold Lead sort (code name for the Israeli offensive against Hamas in the Gaza strip in December 2008/January 2009, Editor’s Note). This one was certainly not on the same scale, but it reflects the same kind of behaviour, that of believing that the use of force solves all problems. From which ever angle one observes it, the operation was a disaster, also for Israel’s image and many people here appear to have understood this. Exactly as happened for Operation Cast Lead, but at a lesser level, the price paid has been far too high compared to the inferior results achieved. But the greatest problem is another. Israelis are too involved with themselves, and unaware of what happens all around them in the world. About six billion people see things in a certain way and the five million Jews living in Israel think the opposite. This is very strange indeed.
Turkey was perhaps Israel’s oldest and best ally in the Muslim world before the attack on the Mavi Marmara vessels…
Of course. And perhaps this was the highest price paid by Israel. Turkey was an ally and a friend. Israel does not have many friends in the region and losing even one is traumatic. The rift, however, had occurred before this. Israel lost Turkey’s friendship when it refused to consider the country as a possible mediator between Israel and Syria. This was one of its greatest mistakes. Instead of encouraging the Turks to attempt to mediate with the Syrian government, Israel brutally said “no”. It was this, and not the blitz on the Mavi Marmara, that was the beginning of the rift between the two countries.
Behind the Mavi Marmara there is a Turkey that appears to be changing policy as far as the Mediterranean and Israel are concerned.
There is no doubts that Turkey is trying to regain status in the region and become more influential in the Middle East. I do not consider this a negative thing, because the two most influential countries in the region are Iran and Turkey and, between the two, Turkey is certainly preferable from all points of view. There is no question that Turkey will slowly become increasingly influential in the Middle East. But the real issue is how will Israel react to this? Will it side with Turkey or make an enemy of this country? Unfortunately the Israeli government has opted for this last solution. That said, one must however add that the violence used by the activists on the ship was totally unnecessary and I do not believe there was any need for them to present themselves as peace activists, to then prove themselves as effectively being such violent people. This is rather problematic, although I think the real violence was enacted by the Israeli soldiers who attacked the vessel.
It seems that the pacifists were not the only people onboard the vessel…
There is no doubt about that. I am aware that there was a minority, including a few Turkish citizens, that had decided in advance that they would resist using force. Sadly that is what happened.
After this incident with Turkey, do you believe it will be possible to return to the status quo ante?
I do not believe it will be possible to return to the status that existed before this incident. I think that in both Turkey and Israel the media and public opinion are now in a state of militancy and I don’t think matters can improve in such a climate. Nor can I at the moment envisage Israel or Turkey making any effort to ensure things return to the way they were.
The attack on the flotilla has emphasised another far more serious problem, that of the Gaza blockade.
This blockade has lasted for four years and it is obvious to everyone that there have been no positive results for Israel. If we had politicians capable of thinking rather than acting autonomously, but above all if we did not have such blind politicians, perhaps things would have changed years ago, since it is clear that this blockade is pointless. Not only is this blockade criminal, and cruel to the Palestinian people in my opinion, but it is also not in Israel’s best interest. Israel unfortunately will not change its policies. There is however now an opportunity for the international community to apply pressure on the Israeli government to put an end to this state of siege. I do not however know whether this will be enough.
Translated by Francesca Simmons