Even if you get to transform a terrorist like Abu Mazen into a nice stateman wearing a nice suit, and speaking of peace and democracy, it's the masses that are pushing for Islamism across the world. Not only in the Middle East but everywhere they happen to live. This is a movement of greater proportions and significance than Communism was in its time. Since Islam is both religion and political system, when you appeal to reason, their heart still remains loyal to its faith. Reflect on this, oh wise Quartet! Because you are completely clueless. This is not the time to impose democracy and secularism anywhere. Not the time to create another state. Not even the Turkish army can match the power of Islamism. And the Turks have had secularism imposed on them by force for many decades. All in vain. The truth is that democracy is just a gateway for Islamic regimes. Whenever and wherever you demand democratic elections in Muslim countries, you end up with Sharia law, not with free press, Western style judicial system or any of those nice things we would like the whole world to have. Throw the Roadmap and Son of Roadmap in the trashbin and start all over.

Politics and religion separate!!

again we see a wolf in sheeps clothing trying to make a country islamic by easing itself into total domination ... beware all those who live in a islamic amjority and non islamic majority country who elect moslem ministers etc....islam has an agenda and it does not include jews,christians,hindus etc....

Are we approaching doomsday?! No sense in what you wrote...Isn't Judaisim our no. one devotion? What blame Muslims? Try to live with them rather than confront them (if they are taking over the Middle East...as you say....) They are becoming your neighbors afterall..

If an Islamist political party can win a landslide victory in secular Turkey, well, you draw your own conclusions. Yesterday, there was an article on the dangerous situation in Pakistan, a country with a nuclear capability & a developed missile technology. Pakistan is on it's way to becoming a failed state. Add it to the list of other failed Muslim states - Afghanistan, Somalia, Iraq, & Sudan. Lebanon is on it's way & Palestine failed even before becoming a state. What will Egypt be like after Mubarak? Think of Algeria & Libya. The regimes in Iran & Syria are in reality failed states held together by dictatorships that promote aggression to distract attention from their failure. What does this have to do with Turkey? It means that even a modernizing, relatively successful, officially secular Muslim country is not immune to an ideology that cannot, by any stretch of the imagination be called progressive, peaceful, or a promoter of democracy & human rights. This is a first step & if history is any guide, not the last. Not a good sign at all.

How is this a 'lesson'? Yes, AKP won more of the popular vote now than four years ago, but it also won a landslide victory in 2002. The party was, in fact, was granted ten MORE parliament seats in 2002 than today - a parliamentary majority so large that it didn't even need to form a coalition. AKP's formal platform involves a desire to join the EU, and you can bet that an EU condition of membership will be the legislation of airtight laws ensuring a continued separation of religion and state. Erdogan has been very willing thus far to make reforms that bend to the will of the EU, which is encouraging in this particular context. THE REAL TEST, regarding a so-called religious revolution, will be to see who Erdogan nominates for president, as test of AKP's true direction. (The estimate, btw, is that it will be a MODERATE). If a conservative Islamic party member is appointed, that may be cause for concern for seculars, given recent legal proposals by Erdogan that resemble Islamic law (such as making adultery a crime). But until such a time, hold off on the hysteria, please.

with the facts before posting. The AK party has done a fantastic job of running Turkey during it's term. That alone will garner it support - would that we had a government doing as good a job. How is the Army not interfering in free and democratic elections a problem? You prefer "secular" dictatorships like Syria, Egypt or Sadams Iraq? The AK party has ruled since 2002. It has not moved towards "Sharia law" - whatever that means but rather moderated existing Turkish law. There have been no curbs on the press, no curbs on the judicial system. Please don't let a reflexive anti-Islamic tendency lead you to talk crap in public.

the chances of an Islamic takeover in Ankara are really smaller than Israel turn into a Talmudic dictatorship.

Shalom, Rachel lies. because AKP did not intervene anyone how to wear. Many CHP's supporter's, including Rachel, despise the majority Turkish people. And minority groups in Turkey got some prerogative in AKP's times, such as waqs. and the whole Turkish jewish history, jews were distressed in CHP's times from 1940's and onward. Please, dont mislead the people. Turkey will be better with AKP in future. shalom,

Look guys, some of you forgot the history, the turks saved many jews when the christians massacred them during the middle ages, I'm seriously don't understand the generalization against muslims, I have many arab muslims friends for years. second, turkey has great relations with and the turks try to meditade between us and syrians. but, what's concerned me is that if the european union won't accept turkey, turkey will improve relations with Iran, a starategic agreement between turkey and Iran, and will are in big troubles, besides that I have no problem, by the way turkey is marvelous country, I'm recommend for anyway to visit there. the turks jews worry and I can understand them, but I don't think that are in panic regarding the results of election. the seculars if they want to be alternative on the turkish politics they must create more wide denominator unless the seculars wants to lose again on the next elections.

dear YNet editor in chif, next time send some one else to Turkey who has knowdge of Turkey and politics there as well. this article is quite shellow-

To YNet editor in chif, Please send another reporter to Turkey next time, I think Roee, [actually did not see (:in Hebrew lo roee) please send next time real seer (roee)], he/she came to airport and talked just a jewish and interviewed with her. I think she/he did not get any information political and sociological background about Turkey and Turks. We are, as jews in Turkey, in peace and quite. on European Union way, conditions will be better in future. one of the every two person voted AKP in Turkey. Anybody have right to mislead Israel public opinion..

All this "rights" mumbo-jumbo from the Euros, who are manifestly incompetent when it comes to their OWN Muslims. Unfortunately, the predecessor (Ecevet) was incompetent, and there were good economic reasons to boot him. To a substantial degree, these votes are votes for a good economy, with the understanding by many that the military will prevent an Islamic state. One difference in Turkey is that Islam is very carefully regulated--no nut case Saudi imams are welcome. In addition, the cult of Ataturk is alive and well, as anyone who has visited will attest. Turkish democracy is a very peculiar thing, in that the military's role in maintaining a secular state is part of the constitution. This is odd, but there is no doubt that it does seem to work. However, there is movement afoot to lessen the military's role in government under the foolish banner of "democracy." I'm not saying this election is great news. I am saying that there is not too much danger UNLESS the military influence is in any way weakened. If this happens, that means that the military will not step in and force new elections but is giving up some of its power. THEN Islamism is around the corner.

Before getting hysterical, get informed. For example about the fact that the "islamist" government of Erdogan in the last 5 years improved relations with Israel or adopted more than every other turkish government new civil rights laws as demanded by the EU or .... On top of that armenian and greek-orthodox communities in the country were in favor of voting for the AKP, because they consider the Erdogan party as much more minority friendly as the other two big parties who act more nationalist and in favor of "turkishness" whatever that may be. ... If only Israel had such a party which is able to combine the religious needs of people with the challenges of a modern secular society.

The EU demands democratic changes in Turkey as pre-condition for them joining the EU, not realizing that those democratic changes will lead to Turkey becoming an Islamic republic. It's only the cities that are secular. The vast majority of the country is not. The EU also want independence for Kosovo, and therefore, for the creation of another Muslim country in Europe (in addition to Albania). Which reminds us of Bush's demand for democratic elections in the PA, which brought Hamas to power. It never fails. Forget about imposing or demanding democracy for those who are not ready to fight for it. And to Danny on #8, yes, I actually prefer Mubarak and even Assad. And Saddam too, when he was still around, to the Ayatolahs. Because those are the only two realistic alternatives in countries with a Muslim majority: ruthless semi-secular strongmen or Taliban-style governments.

Turkey is not "secular"; its government (and military) officially are. There have been, what, maybe 4 military-led coups in Turkey's history, each time replacing someone who stepped too far in the direction of an Islamic state but who happened to have been elected. Islam is probably incompatible with Western democracy, but Ataturk's use of the military is not Western. Uh, Palatinski, don't believe for a minute that relations between Israel and an Islamic (as opposed to a secular) Turkey would remain good. The backbone of that relationship is actually between the Turkish military and Israel. Any Turkey that would be Islamic would only come about if the military either weakened its hold on politics or itself became Islamic. In neither case would the Israel-Turkey relationship remain good. I don't think you understand Turkey at all, Palatinski. "Turkishness" means, in part, "we're not a bunch of Arabs or a mindless cog of the umma." Get it? Religious minorities do NOT prosper under Islam in the long run.

Turks are generally great people. Turkish Character has ; 1. strong insane elements. 2. strong warrier blood 3. strong emoutional factors Islam finds its own great character with the Turks. We dont make terror. We dont believe in terror. We hate all terrorrism Turkey is not one of the super powers of world, today ! Turkey was a super power ... Turkey can again be a super power in future. Islam with Turks ; If you realy understand Islam ! no need to fear of Islamic Turkey ! you dont need to close your door while sleeping next to Turks ! We are okey neighbours. We see all deep plays on Turkey. We also dont forget !! Turks always have great potential to have power on world. So ! to have Turkey as good friend is good for Long run !!! We are tired to see middle east in blood, always. I wish we were too strong to say STOP. We generally have good friendship with Israel. We also care about Arabs ! no matter they dont love us that much ! We like to see peace in Middle East ! We are Human before Muslim ! A Arab or an Israeli is same for us. We take them as human. But, religious emoutions catch us sometimes. Than we scream about Middle East. THAN WE REALIZE ISRAEL IS ALONE TOO. AS IF ! NO FATHER NO MOTHER (the US is double- dealer Father) !!! WE MUST CARE ABOUT THEM TOO. in short : somedays we are too tired to stay between The Arabs and Israel ! As I said before ! we got no power to say STOP, today. Lets HOPE IN FUTURE. So ! as you know there are many great young Turkish Nations in Asia. Some of them have petrol too. for world sake, we will take them into THE UNITED STATES OF TURKEY ! How nice, right :) love Atilla Liman Karagözoğlu

What really matters is Turkey as it is today. You say either accept them in the EU or they'll get angry and turn to Iran. Nice choice. Turkey in the EU would simply accelerate by several decades the Islamization of Europe. It's that simple. It would be overrun with Turks. Turkey is beautiful, and there are great people there, but that has nothing to do with the big picture. How to stop or slow down the growth of Islamism in the world. Good relations between countries, like Israel and Turkey, are temporary and subject to their own interests. Don't bank on it. You say if the seculars want to be an alternative, they must attract more votes. But seculars are a minority in Turkey. The great majority is not secular. So if you want to retain its Western secular nature, you need the army to impose it. There's a constitution that allows it. We all like the Turks. We just worry about their country becoming another Islamic country. Pakistan is also going that way.

Turkey is a secular, parliamentary democracy, period. Turkey does not have a tradition of political islam or islamic fundementalism. Whatever political party comes to power, this will not change and it's about time people all around the world understand this. We as Turks don't like it when foreigners, especially if they are from a non-secular country whose democracy is quite debatable, discuss about the health of our regime.