Will Israel keep cooperating?

Behind closed doors, Erdoğan said he could not have any contact with any Israeli officials until "peace" is enforced. As a matter of fact, information leaked from the Prime Ministry indicates Israeli officials who want to pay a visit to Turkey are being turned down and urged to "bring in peace first." Will Erdoğan and his government remain satisfied with this as the rage against Israel increases in the AKP and the party’s radical grassroots demand action?

What can be done? The answer comes from the AKP Central Executive Board, or MKYK. As Erdoğan explained in the MKYK meeting that the ceasefire is a must and no contact would be established with Israel unless they provide peace in the region. "At this point, there is nothing to talk about but the ceasefire," said Erdoğan, according to a MKYK member who also gave the details of Erdoğan’s tour in the Middle East and his contacts with the Western leaders.

Some MKYK members ask for "sanctions" against Israel. Several members even suggested rehashing the controversial military agreements reached between Israel and Turkey in the past. During the REFAHYOL coalition period, former Prime Minister Necmettin Erbakan had stricken a few military contracts with Israel. In the AKP opposition period Erdoğan and Abdullah Gül criticized them and regarded as a "shame." But now, some members of the MKYK asked for the revival of the said agreements. On Aug. 28, 1996, for instance, an agreement for modernization of F-4s and F-16s in the Turkish Air Force was signed. Another one was signed for military cooperation, mutual personnel training also in 1996. And other governments at different times also had political, commercial, military and strategic deals with Israel.

That, some AKP members in the MKYK suggested sanctions through these agreements. Erdoğan listened to them but made no comment. For now, they have remained as suggestions. If Israel remains in Gaza and if the death toll increases more, will the AKP try to tame down the rage in the grassroots by reviving the contracts? It seems that "diplomacy speech" will continue and I think Israel’s attitude determines where the words come to an endÉ

SECOND ARTICLE
Asks Obama to lobby for Turkey

A U.S. delegation consisting of Daniel Benjamin (Brookings Institution), Andrew Kuchins (Center for Strategic and International Studies), Christian Ostermann (Woodrow Wilson Center), Moran Banai (Center for American Progress), Hakan Taşçı (TUSKON US), Haim Malka (Center for Strategic and International Studies) has met with AKP Çankırı Deputy and Parliamentary Foreign Relations Committee Spokesman Suat Kınıklıoğlu.

The U.S. delegation was curious about Israel, Egenekon and Turkey’s EU membership bid. As Kınıklıoğlu addressed the views of his party, he invited President-elect Barrack Obama to Turkey and asked Obama to lobby for Turkey in the EU. "We believe that Obama should include Turkey in his Europe program during his first trip abroad. For instance, Obama’s itinerary could be Paris, Warsaw and Ankara. And again during these trips Obama can urge European leaders to give importance to Turkey’s EU membership," suggested Kınıklıoğlu. We’ll see if "black" President Obama will consider Kınıklıoğlu’s suggestion and offer solidarity to Turkey at the door of the EU treating Turkey like a "black" for years.

THIRD ARTICLE
Friendly gestures

Fistfights are an issue lately in Parliament as members insult each other to the extreme. The pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party, or DTP, deputy Sırrı Sakık was in a fistfight with Mevlüt Aslanoğlu of the Republican People’s Party, or CHP. Last week, the AKP’s Muharrem Candan shouted at the CHP’s Çetin Soysal, "Dog!" Then he visit Soysal in the CHP parliamentary group meeting and apologized to him and they shook hands. Very nice moves these are indeed. But something is missing. That is independent deputy Kamer Genç also expects an apology from the AKP. If this comes true, "political manners" in Parliament will take a huge step toward "respect for thought" and "democratic tolerance."