HURRIYET
-- TURKEY'S CEASE-FIRE PLAN
Turkey submitted its cease-fire plan to the related parties on Friday. Under the plan, an international observers group would be established under the leadership of Turkey and the cease-fire would be maintained under the leadership of Turkey. Blockade against Gaza would be removed immediately, and ways for humanitarian assistance would be opened soon, according to the plan.
-- GUL: UN'S CREDIBILITY HARMED
Turkish President Abdullah Gul, who talked to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon during Ki-moon's visit to Turkey, said the ongoing tragedy in Gaza damaged the credibility of the United Nations. President Gul said during the meeting that the tragedy in Gaza could lead to serious problems in the long-term. "This tragedy has damaged the credibility of the United Nations," Gul said, and renewed his call for an immediate cease-fire.
MILLIYET
-- ERDOGAN CALLS ON UN NOT TO LET ISRAEL IN
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan made a call on the United Nations (UN) on Friday not to let Israel in. Erdogan said that Israel, which defied a UN resolution, should be left out of the UN. Erdogan stressed that the Old Testament prohibits killing humans.
-- TURKEY HIT HARD BY ECONOMIC CRISIS, CHAIRMAN
The chairman of Turkey's Housing Administration (TOKI), Erdogan Bayraktar, said that Turkey has been hit hard by the global economic crisis. "The current financial crisis is the biggest one that the world has ever seen. Turkey has been deeply hurt by this economic crisis. Most Turkish consumers now search for affordable residences and are not interested in purchasing luxury units," Bayraktar said.
SABAH
-- ERDOGAN: LO TIRTZAH
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan addressed to Israel by reading one of the 10 orders in the Old Testament in Jewish: Lo Tirtzah (You shall not kill). Erdogan said, "How can Israel, who disregards the rules of Security Council, enter from the gates of the UN?".
GUEST FROM DJIBOUTI
President Ismail Omar Guelleh of Djibouti paid a visit to Ankara on Friday upon an invitation from Turkish President Abdullah Gul. Speaking at the meeting, Gul criticized Israel and said he felt ashamed of the developments in Gaza on behalf of humanity.
VATAN
-- WE PRAYED FOR GAZA IN A SYNAGOGUE, JEWISH LEADER
The chairman of the Turkish Jewish Society, Silvio Ovadya, said that his society has been saddened by anti-Jewish protests following Israel's attacks on Gaza. We are not responsible for the policies of any state, Ovadya said. "As Turkish Jews, we feel deep pain for the clashes in Gaza. Last Saturday, we prayed in synagogues for those who died in Gaza," Ovadya said.
-- VEHBI KOC FOUNDATION CELEBRATES 40TH ANNIVERSARY
One of Turkey's major philanthropy institutions, Vehbi Koc Foundation, is celebrating its 40th anniversary. The foundation made charity investments worth over 600 million dollars.
CUMHURIYET
-- ISRAEL IS JOKING WITH WHOLE WORLD, PRIME MINISTER
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Israel was joking with the whole world by not implementing a UN resolution that calls for an urgent cease-fire. It is unacceptable to see Israel defy the UN, Erdogan stressed.
-- I AM ASHAMED ABOUT ISRAEL'S ATTACKS ON GAZA, PRESIDENT
Turkish President Abdullah Gul has said that "I am ashamed, on behalf of humanity, about Israel's attacks on Gaza". I am deeply saddened over the silence of the world, at a time when children are being killed, and the failure in establishing an urgent cease-fire, Gul said.
RADIKAL
-- CONSUMERS LACK CONFIDENCE
Consumer Confidence Index of the Turkish Board of Statics and Central Bank fell by 25.55 in 2008 and dropped to 69.90. The index was at the level of 93.89 in December 2007.
-- TURKISH JEWS UNEASY OVER BEING TARGET
Jews living in Turkey feel uneasy about the reactions against the clashes in the Middle East that turn into anti-Judaism. According to a statement released by Turkish Jewish Community, Turkish Jews who fulfill all the citizenship obligations like every Turkish citizen, who speak and think in Turkish, see themselves as a fundamental element of this territory. "We Turkish Jews, who are inseparable part of the Turkish public, recently are exposed to statements that insult our religion and show us as target. We know that administrators and intellectuals of our country listen to the concerns of our community. Statement of Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan's statement against anti-semitism is an example to this. We want all our community to share this sensitivity," the statement said.
