Posted on 12/22/2011 3:37:54 PM PST by Eleutheria5
The Defense Ministry has ordered Israel Aerospace Industries and Elbit Systems Ltd. to cancel the sale of advanced intelligence equipment to Turkey, Channel 10 News reported on Thursday.
According to the report the canceled deal, which was signed in 2009 and is worth $140 million, was for the sale of an advanced infrared camera and associated equipment.
The reason for the cancelation, according to the report, is the diplomatic row between Israel and Turkey. All defense-related exports by Israeli companies require the approval of the Ministry of Defense, the report noted, but the cool relations between the two countries have caused the Ministry to become concerned that the systems might fall into hands other than those of the Turkish army.
The deterioration in the relationship between the two countries began when Turkey demanded that Israel apologize for the deaths of nine Turkish nationals onboard the Mavi Marmara in May of 2010. The Turkish citizens were killed when Israeli soldiers who boarded the Gaza-bound ship were forced to open fire after being attacked by the activists on board with clubs and knives.
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu refused to apologize for the incident, and Turkey responded by downgrading its diplomatic ties with Israel.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan further deteriorated the tense situation when he chose to verbally attack Israel on several occasions.
Channel 2 News quoted the Defense Ministry as saying in response to the canceled deal, “In general, the Ministry of Defense does not list the general considerations and information that underlie the decision-making policy on defense exports. The Ministry of Defense conducts an assessment of the situation with all relevant bodies, and decisions are made on a professional basis and in accordance with security and political considerations.”
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(Excerpt) Read more at israelnationalnews.com ...
hopefully it’s not an internal struggle and perhaps it serves some Israeli intelligence purpose
Seems like a good strategy. Stop giving them stuff and then remind them of what they’re missing during the exercises. Envy is a powerful motivator. Hope Turkey becomes a bit more sensible going forward. Their current leaders seem to be good at boiling the frog very slowly.
I’m afraid that Turkey has turned to the Dark Side.
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