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Turkish ambassador to Azerbaijan: Israel repeats the actions of the fascists and commits state terror â€“ INTERVIEW

Turkish ambassador to Azerbaijan: Israel repeats the actions of the fascists and commits state terror â€“ <font color=red>INTERVIEW </font>

02 June 2010 10:26 (UTC +04:00)

Baku. Gulshan Hajiyeva â€“ APA. APAâ€™s interview with Turkeyâ€™s ambassador to Azerbaijan Hulusi Kilic

-Israeli armyâ€™s attack on the ships carrying aid to Gaza caused great concern. What can you say about it?

-The whole world knows that the Turkish and Jewish people are friends. This friendship has been lasting for centuries. In 1490 when the Jews were expelled from Spain the Turks received them with open arms. For long years the Turkish lands were safe territory for the Jews. Moreover, Turks and Turkish diplomats saved some of the Jews fleeing from the fascists. We have centuries-long friendship with the Jews. This friendship will continue. We will remain friends. We do not have even a little problem with the Israeli people. They are our friends.

As regards the recent incident, this is the black day in the history of mankind. I wish it had not happened. The mankind and conscience of humanity suffered great damage. These six ships were carrying food products for the people blockaded in Gaza for 35 months, toys for children, medicines, construction materials. Gaza belongs to the people living there, not to Israel. Aid was being taken for the people living there. Those who are carrying this aid are nongovernmental organizations. This is the initiative of the NGOs beyond the control of Turkish state, government. There are citizens of 32 countries there. There were old people, children, religious figures, politicians, journalists among 600 passengers. These ships were moving in the open sea, in the international waters, they were 72 miles far from the territorial waters of Israel. This is the territory open for all. They attacked the civil ship like Somali pirates. People were killed though the captain of the ship raised the white flag. The people, who are on board the ship for peace, humanitarian aid, are killed, wounded and interrogated. Strange statements are issued after that. I felt sorrow after such explanations. They hold up people to ridicule. Because people there, are not the members of radical Islamic organization, they are volunteers carrying humanitarian aid. Whole world knows it. Those ships were carrying humanitarian aid, not a weapon. Israeli governmentâ€™s explanation is shameful. They want to set themselves with explanation to their lawless, illegal behavior. Whom they think they deceive?

- Israeli government assesses the incident as a defence of its soldiers.

- How do the soldiers defense themselves? Let them say it first. Israeli servicemen attack on armless civilians, by helicopters and coast attack boats. It is a maritime banditry. It has not any explanation. They tell lies. What are they afraid of? Why donâ€™t they receive the aid given them? We felt sorrow for bitterness, oppression of Jewish people for centuries. Now they do the same things to others. Today, they repeat fascistsâ€™ behavior. Gaza people have a right to live as others. Children must live there as a child. One can not resolve Gaza into a prison. Israel violate international law rules, use force towards people, embargo Gaza nation and blockade Gaza for 35 months. I think that Israeli nation does not welcome such behavior. It is completely the mistake of the state. The state of Israel exists for 62 years. Their only friend in the region was Turkey and they committed those things for spoil the relations with this state. There is not any welfare and peace in the region for 62 years. Why Israeli can not live in peace and quiet? They suffered from terror very much, but now they commit state terror themselves. The entire world assesses it in such a way. I now that Israeli nation do not receive it. Because Israeli nation is a sane nation. It was noted in the â€œTovratâ€ that â€“ to kill one person, is to kill all the humanity. They drowned humanity in the Mediterranean Sea by this incident. Ship was attacked in the international waters. So, international law was not respected as well.

- Does world communityâ€™s reaction satisfy you?

- The reaction of world community increase day-by-day. They understand the essence of the incident just now. I believe that every clearheaded person will react this situation. Moreover, sanctions must be used. If sanctions are not use, then this must be asked from UN. EU, Council of Europe must think about it seriously too. Those persons must be freed from siege in a shortest time. The meeting of the Organization of the Islamic Conference will be held in the next few days.

NATO Council convened extraordinary meeting. Israeli government is directly responsible for this incident. This is Israeli government caused this incident. We are strongly condemning this action because those who carried humanitarian aid and peace shouldnâ€™t be return in coffins. This is very horrible action. Innocent people were killed. It is great blow on humanity.

- Despite repeatedly warnings by Israel, activists of the humanitarian aid campaign didnâ€™t change mind. What did cause their insistence? Was Israel supposed to do such action?

- The solidarity with innocent people, humanism, mercy and conscience caused this insistence. They would like to show that humanity is alive and they would like to fulfill their human duties. They were expecting human reaction to the humanitarian aid. All of them hoped for that. They announced many times what they aimed to do and what cargo they would carry. The cargo of the flotilla was controlled by the customs services of the relevant countries. This was a human movement. It means there is humanism. I ask the human rights defenders: what they are doing in this field? If they faced with such action, what they would do? Everyone knows and sorrows for sufferings of Jewish people in fascist camps. Let the Jewish people to wish to all people what they wish for themselves. Let the region to become peaceful. Let the children there to live in peaceful conditions. It is impossible to reach something with enmity. It is not correct to evaluate it just only as a problem between Israel and Turkey. This is a problem of humanity. We are working for peace for long years. We are living in accordance with the Ataturkâ€™s principle â€œpeace in homeland, peace in the worldâ€. We advocate for peace in that region. We were friend of Israel so far. Turkey was among the first countries recognized Israel. We carried mediation mission between Israel and Syria. We want peace and everyone knows that. They will find different pretexts now. Those, who have serious statehood traditions, donâ€™t lie. It is not suitable for state figures to lie. We donâ€™t believe in their lies to justify them. Press should be careful and shouldnâ€™t be a tool of propaganda writing lies of Israeli officials.

- Turkey approaches Palestinian issue more sensitively as if than Karabakh issueâ€¦

- It is absolutely not so. Probably everybody remembers the recent sensiblenessâ€¦People of that time remember about the strong reaction of Turkish people and government when Azerbaijani lands were occupied. There were many people arrived from Turkey for assistance. Turkey closed borders with Armenia for 17 years. It needs to think about that and to evaluate its importance very wellâ€¦

Ultimately I would like to say that the Israeli government should seriously and rationally think about that because its only friend in the region is Turkey and let them not to lose this friendship. Israel must fulfill what the international community expects from it in a short time. It must send the wounded people to home, release detainees. The Jewish people shouldnâ€™t forget its past.