He made a great point. Shame to the IDF Spokesperson for trying to be submissive to the attacking international arena rather than DEFENDING the IDF. I thought that the point of the IDF's existence was to defend the country rather than bash its own soldiers? Once again, the IDF Spokesperson has proven its inability to defend the army verbally and in the media. It's about time we are out there blaming countries for doing much worse than we ever have. Turkey has committed genocide and refuses to admit it, and yet they have the chutzpa to claim that Israel has recently committed a genocide in Gaza, an accusation that is truly minimal compared to what they have done to the Armenians. The IDF Spokesperson should be taking lessons from Maj. Gen. Mizrachi.

I agree with you. In fact I believe that Erdogan purposely used the "Cast Lead" situation to make comments to destroy good relations between the countries - especially the Turkish military. Too cosy for him. Ultimately , this situation will not serve Israel OR Turkey well. Those who want to side with hamas and the pals can do so - but they will find there is enormous support for Israel around the world. We do not buy the Palestinian arguments - they have lied and lied so many times themselves. Just look at what they are doing now to their own... http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3671573,00.html Dont try and tell me these people are guilt-free. That's total Bullshit.

..."Apart from the Kurdish public, no one else seems to care about the situation in Kurdistan. Therefore I would like to renew my plea to the international community to boycott Turkish made products not only because Kurdistan is being attacked by the Turkish war machine on a daily basis, but actually because of the appalling record that Turkey has in the crimes against humanity such as the killing of Kurds and the genocide of the Armenians"Kurdishaspect.com - By Dr Hoshiar Molod (Saudi Arabia)http://www.kurdishaspect.com/doc021108HM.html February 11, 2008

Even if what you say can be true,it does not justify Erdogan's agressive words towards Israel's defense. Those who speak what they want,hear what they don't want!

http://picasaweb.google.com/aloneyre/IstanbulTurkeyJanuary2009

I applaud Gen. Mizrachi's truthfulness and candor, which are in the best traditions of Israel and the IDF. We are not the puppets of the Turkish state.

Marco ! you should be prosecuted for hate crimes,you are a bigot.

Mizrachi should keep his mouth shut.this is a matter between states , and as a soldier he should stay out of it,I hope the good relations between the 2 armies were not damaged.

for being truthful. It is a historical fact that the Turks had been brutal to the Armenians and Kurds. It is time this truth is exposed to the world.

That the 1%ers are still in power after the Israeli citizens gave them the boot! They continue to do all they can to appease those that attack us. Thankfully, there are public voices here that have said enough is enough and are prepared to speak the truth!

You object to what a few of the readers here say (and not all of them Israeli, no doubt) by claiming that all Jews are somehow bad. That's outright anti-Semitism. And I don't think your anti-Semitic opinions were formed by reading these comments, were they? How did you feel about Jews before?

So #60 Israel must "commit suicide" because Turkey welcomed the Jews during the Spanish Inquisition. No way.

Otomans wanted the skilled Jews because they either slaughtered the Greeks or they fled after the conquest of Constantinople and he needed a replacement of experienced financiers, merchants, artisans to run the empire affairs. Also they needed to collect the Jizyah Tax from non-Muslims and there were not enough left after the conquest.

As a matter of fact, your history is one of conquest and occupation. You stole land from Byzantines whom you slaughtered and enslaved; you conquered and enslaved Greece and Southern Slavs, whose daughters you captured into your harems and whose sons you had turned into soldiers in your slave-army. You kept on conquering and enslaving until you were stopped at the gates of Vienna, but it took centuries for the Greeks and Southern Slavs to regain their freedom. You committed genocide against the Armenians -- doesn't matter if by the sword, gun, forced marches and starvation; you're still denying the rights of Kurds to their independent country (despite championing the fake 'nation' of Palestinians) and you occupy half of Cyprus, the birthplace of the Greek goddess Aphrodite. That's not a clean record.

You hypocrite, the Arabs under Israeli rule quadruple in number and you call Israelis genocidal murderers?

It is a spit on the face of morality and truth to condemn a general who spoke the truth. Israel, true to its high moral standards, should without hesitation accept the truth of the Armenian Genocide. It is outrageous that the issue of Armenian Genocide is used as a political card and a bargaining pawn by Israel and other countries. Surely, the State of Israel wouldn't feel content if an individual openly denies the fact of the Jewish Holocaust, let alone a whole government, as is Israel keeping itself reticent towards the fact of the Armenian Genocide. It is undeniable fact that what is called "Turkey" today is a land that was grabbed by Turks through genocide of Armenians, Greeks and other Christians who were the natives of that land from times immemorial. Turks should be sent back to central Asia, where they belong.

If this fanatic regime will stay in power Turkey very soon will be like Iran and every body knows what did happen to Iran after Shah? They backed to Stone Age, My best regard to General Mizrachi

Did the Armenian genocide happen? Dose your government have ignoring the rights of 20 millions Kurds? Did the Turk kill any Kurd because the Kurd fighting for their rights? In the end stop your nonsense the Turk did not save any Jews in Spain and the Jews used to live in Turkey before the Turk converted to Islam ,

going for you. Without them YOU wouldn't have ANY strategic depth! Think about it!

Being neither Turkish nor Israeli, I would like to make a few observations. The alliance between the two countries is too important to ditch (both heads of state agree). Military officers should not make political statements; they have civilian commanders who are there to do it for them. Turkey has an abysmal record of human rights, and its army is not regarded by experts as the most ethical in the world (Israel's is, at least by some). Turkey has already disgraced itself in the eyes of many Europeans, even as it became a hero in the Islamic world, thanks to Erdongan's outburst. There is simply no need to rub their blackest moments and actions in their face. As Erdogan said, Allah should take care of the matter. Finally, any allegations of war crimes etc. should be taken care of not in the press but by the proper judicial authorities. In Israel's case, that means its own. When will Turkey investigate claims of atrocities against the Kurds or its actions in Cyprus, let alone the (unmentionable, ineffable) slaughter of the Armenians. Conclusion: the countries should work together insofar as is possible, and forget this squabble. If not, both stand to lose a great deal.

From the river (Tigris and Euphrates) to the sea (The black sea & Mediterranean) Kurdistan must be free! wonder were all the PaLIEstinian-Islamofacists-Lefties fit in with all of this? Free Kurdistan not PaLIEstine

I'm very sad reading these comments. Just because our populist Prime Minister pulled a political stunt, I didn't even vote for the guy, you guys are condemning the whole Turkish nation. We are not all anti-Israel - some of us like Jews and Israel very much. Yet you have become anti-Turkish overnight., accusing us of all kinds of things, while forgetting the friendly relations we have enjoyed up to now. We are not just neighbours, historically were the Turkic Khazars and Karaites not Jews? Did we not rescue Jews from Spain and Nazi occupied France? I believe Erdogan made a stupid mistake and most intelligent and educated Turks know this but don't let this drag on...

Take your small-brained accusations and run along to the Tappas house. You and your ilk deserve the same result that befell the poor palestinians of Gaza. May you enjoy Basque resistance until they are granted their autonomy. Your country is an occupier of both Basque as well as Muslim land. I can only wish that you can visit Gaza ahead of the next Israeli invasion!

Talat, Israelis, by the way, were among the first rescuers who came to Turkey's aid when a horrible earthquake killed thousands in Turkey. I still remember how Israeli rescuers had dug out a little child. As to your comment, well, your Prime Minister believes in his right to badmouth and backstab Israelis. He also came across as someone not very cultured and unbalanced.

I think Israelis fell into a trap set by Erdogan who is bent on making Turkey an Islamic state, to take it away from what Ataturk built it into. Along the way, Erdogan found an easy way to move Turkey away from an old ally. Hope Erdogan wouldn't stick around for long and that Turkish & Israeli relationship would get back to the level it was on before the Islamists took over.

For deeper perspective, here’s a quote from Aaron Aaronsohn, the genius scientist and master spy, who witnessed what happened in 1915, and wrote a report to the British about it. In “Pro Armenia” he concluded that, “Morally and economically the Armenian race in Turkey is totally ruined – the few private fortunes which by clean or unclean ways have been spared destruction make no difference. “From one of the most thrifty and most industrious elements of the Turkish Empire, if not the most thrifty and most industrious – mind it is a Jew who gives this certificate – the Armenian race is now a race of starving down trodden beggars, the purity of its family life destroyed, its manhood killed, its children, boys and girls enslaved in the Turkish private homes for vice and dabauchery, that is what the Armenian race has become in Turkey.” I prefer to rely on Aaronsohn’s eye-witness testimony, rather than believe some of the commentators who spout spinning talking points from the Guardians of Official History. We DO live in the information Age. The truth will come out. The General knows history. Levon

The Turkish PM Is scared of the military officers and extreme Muslims.While appeasing Muslim countries with foolish behavor and stupid comments, you are distancing yourself from the EU.His comments about his concern of Israeli elections are out of line. The Turkish ambassador should be summond to the Israeli foreign office and be warned not to Intefere In Israeli Internal affairs. Israel Is a democracy (Turkish people- look It up In a dictionary. We do not arrest citizens for "anti Israeli feelings". In short, we live our lives our way and are open to criticism. Something you have not yet grown to.

Stop defending those bad things the turks did (and they attacking us because of the palestinians) for the sake of politics! Be HONEST! WE ARE WITH YOU MUZRACHI!

What you say is the rightest point !

is upset with the truth again. Sometimes the truth for the Muslims just can't be accepted. It's about time someone grew some balls and said it though. It's shameful that politics has gotten in front of telling the truth again!!!!