AP: Turkish lawmakers urge govt to review Israel ties

[Poll_Blind]

Turkish lawmakers urge govt to review Israel ties

ANKARA, Turkey — Turkey's parliament called on the government Wednesday to review all ties with Israel as the country prepared a huge welcome home for Turkish activists who had been detained after Israel's bloody raid on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla.

In Israel, all remaining activists from the aid ships were sent to Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv to be deported. Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein said Israel decided not to prosecute any of them, writing in an order Wednesday that "keeping them here would do more damage to the country's vital interests than good."

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The Turkish Parliament in Ankara held a heated debate on whether to impose military and economic sanctions on Israel. Lawmakers of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's ruling Justice and Development Party objected to the measures, apparently anxious to avoid aggravating the situation, but eventually agreed on a declaration that was approved by a show of hands.

The lawmakers said Israel must formally apologize for the raid, pay compensation to the victims and bring those responsible to justice.

"This attack was an open violation of United Nations rules and international law," Deputy Parliament Speaker Guldal Mumcu said, reading out the declaration.

"Turkey should seek justice against Israel through national and international legal authorities," the declaration said. "The parliament expects the Turkish government to revise the political, military and economic relations with Israel, and to take effective measures."

The whole "international waters" thing is going to be a bigger and bigger deal as time goes on and there's very little chance the Turkish PM, Parliament or people are going to do anything like dropping this. All countries bordering the Mediterranean, specific politics aside, have vested interests in making sure those waters are strongly protected by the rule of International Law.

PB