Turkey is proving that Islam is a barrier to normal relationships with non-islamic societies. Turkey can safely and approvingly villainize Israel without tarnishing its reputation as a model of islamic and democratic co-existance while it tip toes toward sharia. Those who take delight at Turkey's demonization of Israel are missing the opportunity to understand and prevent the spread of Turkish aggression toward other nations. However, the discrimination and victimization of the Coptic Christians in Egypt portends a similar trajectory in Turkey and also shows world indifference is not limited to anti Israel sentiments but is also exhibited when this violence by Arabs toward Christians coincides with the utopian idea of an islamic democratic revolution. The world wishes for an Arab Spring but ignores the unfolding nightmare.

when its Islamist beligerence leads to war. Has Turkey ever fought a dogfight? When was the last time Turkey fought a naval battle?

Trying to draw a similarity between Kurds and Palestinians is about as useful to comparing apples to oranges. Last I checked the Kurds aren't under any sort of embargo or travel ban. Tanks aren't roaming through their inner cities. If you want to argue your point, do so in a clear and logical matter without delving into fantasy.

letting a blockade breach by a bunch of wackos become an international incident is mere stupidity. Policies of engagement were written for wartime. Israel only recently modified rules of engaging civilian vessels. There is a massive cover up of gross negligence by Israeli leadership.

What always strikes me in these discussion involving Israel is the sheer level of slavish, subservient devotion from Americans. Hiding this pathetic grovelling behind the ally tag is not persuasive either - it is one sided obedience. Israeli administration does not even have to pretend to be grateful, they frequently make statements of policy at times when it is most embarrassing to their US counterparts. Bizarre.

His plan to humiliate Israel and manipulate an apology failed. Now he has egg on his face. This episode exposed Turkey's history of bloodshed and occupation over centuries which Erdogan now perpetuates. He's taking Turkey down a dangerous and foolish path trying to compete with Ahmadinejad. What we learn from Turkey is how Islamic leaders backstab their way to power. His desperate moves however suggest not everyone in Turkey is pleased with Erdogan's behavior on a world stage. Bravo to Israel for saying no to the new ME bully!!!!

Turkey is a joke of a democracy! Have you not heard of the hundreds of journalists imprisoned in Turkey because they spoke their minds? Have you not heard of Ergenekon? The biggest staged conspiracy case ever seen in the recent years? So many are being held with false accusations (many proofs exist that the accusations were all fake! Like incorrect addresses used as proof to blame innocent people). This is your country, and you can be very proud of it! Turkey can learn a lot from Israel about democracy. In Israel no one is scared of speaking their minds like in your 3rd world pseudo democracy. And as far as military might is concerned Israel can finish your army in a few days, and even in a few hours if they wanted to. Turkey has turned its back to Ataturk, the greatest man in its history, and it will pay dearly for it!

I look forward to the day when the Kurds with their higher birthrate make up the majority in turkey and assert their right to a state of their own. If you are Kurdish then i certainly hope you also support a 'two state solution' for Kurds. The turks will of course decide that this isn't such a good idea! Though it would be most unwise to respond if you do! Unlike the palestinians who are ethnically culturally and linguistically arab in origin and thus do not have an historically distinct identity. The Kurds are an ancient people with a unique identity of their own which turkey along with iran and the arab world has long tried to supress. For centuries the term palestinian by the way was used exclusively to decribe the Jewish people until the palestinians co-opted the term for entirely political purposes. If you are a Kurd then shame on you and for supporting this aggressive venture. Israel would be a much better friend to the Kurds (and in fact gives considerable though mainly covert assistance to Iraqi Kurds) than the peope in whose countries the Kurdish people have the misfortune to reside. The arabs will be the first to stab you in the back ditto the turks.

More of the same. The Arabs are slowly preventing Israel from defending itself. The best defense is a good offense. Israel is not allowed any offense and now is being challenged for defending itself. The Jewish king has to be A genius.

Davutoglu pretends that the UN Human Rights Commisission deciding that the the blockade was unlawful was formed by maritime lawyers while the Palmer commission t deciding that the blockade was according to the maritime law was formed by politicians. Therefore Turkey accepts the former and not the latter (Palmer`s) decision. Is it true? Would anyone with international maritime knowledge be willing to comment on this ?

How many planes has the Turkish Air Force (TuAF) shot down? NONE. How many real dogfights (not mock dogfights, simulations or military exercises, but REAL dogfights) has the TuAF won? NONE. How many Air Aces does the TuAF have? NONE. How many double Aces or triple Aces does the TuAF have? NONE. Turkey's pilots have absolutely no combat experience whatsoever, the closest they get to real combat are mock dogfights with the Hellenic Air Force, most of which they lose to the Greeks. The IAF have some of the best trained and most battle experienced pilots in the world, the TuAF have simulation, mock dogfight and military exercise pilots. The TuAF doesn't stand a chance against the IAF.

The Turkish Navy is the eighth largest navy in the world. It currently has approximately 51,000 active personnel. The Turkish Navy is also the third largest navy in Europe.

Turks maybe want a state without kurds but kurds don't want a kurdish state.Kurds and turks has been living together since 1071.This is impossible.My mother family is kurd origin .Any of kurds don't wan't to go Diyarbakır leaving West turkey.

As you wrote the Zero problem policy has bankrupted but not now long time ago. It was still born. I hope that the Turkish Military still have common sense not to spark an unnecessary incident but after teh resignations of the Generals now I even doubt that.

they will shoot themselves into the foot again and will play offended as usual

My name is Lucas and I am from Germany. In Germany we receive many critics about this country that nobody likes. They are now threating the EU and its members. Time for Turkey to be kicked out of Nato and the EU to impose economic sanctions.

the nato, the eu etc. can better become( a )part of the united nations organization, like for instance the world-bank, the internationally, monetary fund etc.

If Us does not intervene. Even Hizbullah sank a warship with their aged rockets. About IAF, your pilots used to get in Turkey... So stop day-dreaming, and apologize. One day for Damascus, another one for Tel-Aviv.

the day sultan erdogan sends warships to israel will be turkey last day in the NATO. dont play with fire my islamst facist friends. just look at the turkey today. they deny the genocide against armanians, kurds and greeks, turks cause problems in germany and allover the EU because they dont work and dont integrate and they totaly faild with their zero problem policy. throw turkey out of NATO and we have zero problem.:)

according the prophet Ezechiel will Turkey one of the intruders of Israel be in the coming Gog-Magog war. Since Turkey sided with the arch enemy of the Jewish State, Iran, the scene is coming cloes. Shalom from Holland. We pray for you.

Shalom David. Until now I do not understand, why Turkey is playing Don Quijote in the ME. There is even no Sancho Pansa, who will help us. Playing "Kabadayilik" is perhaps nice in the streets of Kasimpasa, but disastrous in the ME. AKP played this game for too long and has reached the point of no return. "Keskin sirke kendi küpüne zara verir". By the way! A lot of Generals are jailed and in case of war, they will be needed ! But I hope, war will never be an option. I do not want to see innocent people dying. Kindest regards and iyi geceler

SO WHAT?

HE AND HIS DEPUTY COMPANIONS ARE IMMERSED TILL THEIR NECK IN A SEA OF CORRUPTION !! IN ORDER TO EVADE ANY CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION THEY CAN GO TO WAR WITH ISRAEL THINKING PEOPLE WILL FORGET THEIR CRIMINAL DEEDS !!

How about the UN resolutions regarding the Cyprus invasion? or the illegal blockade of Armenia? or the illegal incursions and bombings in Northern Iraq? Shall I go on. Turkey, you nation is the definition of hypocrisy. Islamothugs.

Sits back while Syrian protesters are massacred. Rolls out the red carpet to Islamic Iran while Iranian protesters are shot in the back. Sends their home grown jihadis to Israel then runs crying to the ICJ when held accountable.

Geoffrey Palmer is an expert in maritime law and is NZs representative on the Int Whaling Commission. Most of his life he has been a law professor. He has also been a politician and a lawyer and served as a deputy PM and a PM of NZ in the 1980s. His impartiality has never been questioned except by Israeli talkbackers and Hamas , both of whom dont understand the concept of someone not being secretly on one side or the other. I dont know the backround of the other commission but they definitely not maritime law experts.

TATA

If the Turks are stupid enough to take on Israel, they will lose so bad (nor can any Muslim state), it would be the ultimate sacrifice. Turkey has no right to complain after what it has done to its religious and ethnic minorities..for centuries. We stand behind Israel. Turkey beware, you may find yourselves with an increasingly difficult situation with the Kurds...if you know what I mean.