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Dear Prof Finkelstein,

Re: Response to The Turkish Correspondent on http://normanfinkelstein.com/2014/from-a-turkish-correspondent-2/

The accusations made in the letter are totally unfounded and based on faulty assumptions. Please see the evidence in the article written by M Cohen and Charles D. Freilich (senior fellow at Harvard’s Kennedy School, a former deputy national security adviser in Israel.) http://www.israelcfr.com/documents/8-1/8-1-5-MatthewSCohen-CharlesDFreilich.pdf

1. Turkey expelled the Israeli ambassador about 4 years ago; (page 42)
2. There is no longer any “Military ties between Israel and Turkey” (page 43).
3. Turkey is the only NATO country that officially welcomes Hamas leaders and backs the movement politically. Erdoǧan hosted Hamas leaders as recently as June 2013. (page 41)
4. As regards to the trade relations between Israel and Turkey; PM Erdogan confirmed total suspension of all trade and military ties with Israel in 2011. Turkey has frozen 16 defense contracts worth billions of dollars since March 2010. Turkey suspended a 5 billion dollar deal for 1,000 Merkava Mk 3 tanks. Turkey also dropped Israel Aerospace Industries Arrow-2 anti-ballistic missile system worth $2 billion from bidding. http://www.upi.com/Business_News/Security-Industry/2010/06/18/Turkey-freezes-arms-deals-with-Israel/UPI-24011276879457/ http://www.worldbulletin.net/headlines/141892/turkey-pulls-out-of-joint-energy-policy-with-israel                                                                 Nevertheless, Turkey is a democratic country. Israel and Turkey has got a free trade agreement since 1997. Should a democratic government interfere and impede the trade affairs in the private sector? Furthermore, Turkey’s total overall international trade volume increased from $72 billion in 2001 to $389 billion in 2012. This fact needs to be put into context!
5. Erdoğan’s family has personal trade relations with Israel? Where is your evidence again?

Finally,I could not agree more about the importance of pressuring the government, non-governmental organisations, companies and corporations in Turkey and elsewhere for boycotts, divestment and sanctions against Israel by all means until it complies with international law and Palestinian rights. But, the growing anger towards Israel in Turkey is not merely a loud protest as suggested by the Turkish correspondent! Thank you

Yours sincerely

Dr Nur Ozyilmaz,

London, United Kingdom