Turkey warships to Gaza threat 'grave': Israel minister
"These remarks are grave and serious, but we have no wish to add to the polemic," Meridor said on army radio.
"It is better to stay quiet and wait, we have no interest in aggravating the situation by replying to such (verbal) attacks," he said.
Late on Thursday, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkish warships would escort any aid ships trying to reach Gaza in defiance of an Israeli naval blockade, in a bid to protect them from Israeli forces.
"Turkish warships will be tasked with protecting the Turkish boats bringing humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip," Erdogan told Al Jazeera television, according to an Arab-language translation of his comments in Turkish.
"From now on, we will no longer allow these boats to be the targets of attacks by Israel, like the one on the Freedom Flotilla, because then Israel will have to deal with an appropriate response," he warned.
Erdogan was referring to the clash on May 31 last year when Israeli commandos stormed a six-ship flotilla in international waters in a bid to stop it from breaching its naval blockade on Gaza.
During the ensuing confrontation, Israeli troops killed nine Turks on board a Turkish ferry, sparking a diplomatic row between the two countries that has strained relations to breaking point.
"Turkey will be firm on its right to control the territorial waters in the east of the Mediterranean," Erdogan added.
Ankara had also "undertaken measures to prevent Israel unilaterally exploiting" the region's natural resources, he warned, referring to offshore gas reserves in the eastern Mediterranean.
A senior Israeli official, speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity, called the warships threat "a very grave provocation."
"It is very difficult to imagine that Turkey would go so far as to take such action, given its commitments to NATO," the official said.
Meridor said Turkey "would be violating international law" if it tried to break Israel's blockade on Gaza by force.
A UN report into the flotilla incident which was published last week declared the naval embargo to be legal, although it chastised Israel for using excessive force in the raid.
Ankara expelled the Israeli ambassador and suspended all military ties, including defence-related trade contracts, in retaliation for Israel's refusal to apologise for the raid.
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@Thomas: Let us see ur observation.Turks have been people of word since centuries and as Muslims will not back out helping Muslim brotherns any where in the world .Muslims must consider and realize the means to their survival.I f they can't defeat a tiny terrorist state now how cum they can destroy more powerful and zionist aiding states.Trial time to the Muslims have started..they have been successful in Iraq n Afghanistan and surely will succeed anywhere if they hold tight the rope of Allah (SWT).
@Abhi: Good news isn't it?
another Ahmedinejad in making.
@Cautious: Once anyone throws UN recommendations to dustbin, its a universally acceptable truth that the thrower can do anything it want ... Have you forgot US invasion in Iraq despite that UN never mandated any military intervention into Iraq just on the baseless so called 'Weapon of Mass Destruction' lie - UN never owned WMD stuff ...
Turkey pushes flotilla with its Navy and everyone will just see it quietly and relaxed ...
@sainmonhjo:
Turkey is just postering!. They wouldn't dare to go up agnist the Israeli navy and break thru the naval blocade, because Israel will sink every Turkish ships that try to do so. This is just empty threat. But tensions are rising in the middle east is not a good thing.
@ Cautious Latla Bacha is above the law of world so turkey taking right step i think so jeya turk.
@Cautious: I agree. I don't know what his aspirations are but Erdogan should focus on creating pressure on Israel through means other than Flotillas to Gaza. Blockade is de-facto and is wrong no matter what the UN report says but Erdogan should not go towards creating unnecessary controversy.
Tit for tat is the reply to Israelies and their Masters.World to be a safer palce to live in is the responsibility to all member nations and putting embargo to humans to bring more miseries to them is not a human act and UNO must satisfy the conscious /sane people of the world.The state of Israel is creating problems and miseries to the Palestinians since its creation.Israel has used the force and killed unarmed Turkish Flotilla personnel, carrying goods to Gaza on humanitarian grounds.Isreal must not forget that such situation can be created for her also coz neither she nor her cronies are more powerful nor best planner than Almighty Allah.And surely Allah has already planned for them.Our prayers are for the victims and their supporters for right cause and surely Allah Almighty will be their protector and helper.Move forward Turkish brothers, with confidence and success is waiting ahead for your nation.
The UN report just indicated the naval blockade was legal -- so saying your going to bust the blockade is stupid. If he is really interested in assisting Palestinians he can always donate goods and use the Egyptian crossing - but that doesn't provide the publicity that Erdogan thrives on. Given Erdogan's history it's likely this is more bluster to give him a better reception when he makes his speech to the Arab League next week.