Sir, – Turkish ambassador Altay Cengizer's article (Opinion, September 8th) rehashes several myths about the Mavi Marmara incident in 2010. The interception of the Mavi Marmaraby Israel Defence Forces was not an "illegitimate" or criminal action under international law. As the recently released UN Palmer Report states, Israel's blockade of Gaza is perfectly legitimate under international law as Gaza is a hostile polity which poses a threat to Israel, and it is legitimate to stop hostile parties intent on breaking a blockade even in international waters.
It is absurd to compare the IHH activists to the members of Médecins Sans Frontières! It is internationally recognised that IHH, while ostensibly a Muslim "charity" organisation, is in fact affiliated to Jihadi groups, including Hamas. IHH activists on the Mavi Marmarawere looking for a fight.
This is well documented – by Al Jazeera at the time and in archival footage used by a BBC Panorama documentary later, which showed the IHH activists before their confrontation with the IDF making and trumpeting weapons and chanting Jihadi slogans including “Death to the Jews”.
Turkey was traditionally Israel’s best ally in the region and we are concerned and worried by Turkey’s recent shift in foreign policy to a stance that is unfairly harsh and critical of Israel.
Such a stance might strengthen extremism throughout the region. By its actions, Turkey is placing the United States – a friend of both Israel and Turkey – in a very awkward situation. The only people happy now are Hamas and their sister organisations of fanatics across the region.
Israel is more than willing to do what is necessary to heal the breach in our relations, but as a sovereign state it cannot accept humiliation by giving an apology when none is necessary or morally right.
In recent months Israel has repeatedly tried to achieve compromise with Turkey. I hope that one day soon we can resolve this upset and resume the positive accord that used to exist between the only two countries in the Middle East which have open, pluralist politics. It would be a tragedy if the two countries most alike in the region pulled apart from each other. – Yours, etc,