Demonstrations against Israel in Turkey
Photo: AFP
Eggs hurled at Israel's ambassador to Turkey
Local students in Turkish city of Trabzon chase ambassador Gabi Levy, try breaking into his car. Local police interfere, manage to restore order
Israel's ambassador to Turkey, Gabi Levy, was attacked Wednesday in the Turkish city of Trabzon by local students who chased him, hurled eggs at his direction and tried to break into his vehicle. As Ynet learned, local police confronted the students, and the ambassador did not suffer any injuries.
"Protest and hostile reactions do not scare us. The perpetrators' objective was to prevent our delegation from touring the area and deliver Israel's message to the local population, but we will not allow that to stop us," promised Levy.
Yossi Levy, a spokesman for the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem told Ynet, "This is nonsense á la Trabzon. There was an attempt made by a local student group to interrupt the ambassador's lecture during his visit to the local university campus, near the Black Sea."
According to Levy, the event was to be expected and "local police interfered and restored order. The ambassador resumed his lecture and went on to his scheduled meetings."
Violent Protest
Daniel Edelson
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Tensions between the two countries has been on the rise lately, resulting in Turkey's cancellation of a scheduled military exercise with Israel.
Last month, hot tempered demonstrations took place throughout the country. In one of the demonstrations, protestors who sympathized with Arabs demonstrators in east Jerusalem waived Palestinian Authority flags and burned the flag of Israel.
Turkey's president, Abdullah Gul, who met recently with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, also spoke out on various occasions against Israel and its conduct during recent riots in Jerusalem.
