Turkish Defense Minister Vecdi Gönül has said he cannot give any information on whether a unit inside the General Staff or the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) is in contact with Israel, as the response would constitute a violation of state secrets.
Last week former Justice and Development Party (AK Party) deputy Zekai Özcan – who transferred to the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) over differences with his party regarding the government’s Kurdish initiative – filed a motion demanding a response from the government, inquiring whether there was or ever had been a unit or a department inside the TSK that works with the Israeli state. In his response, Minister Gönül said: “The information that is subject to the question motion is considered classified. It is impossible to answer the motion.”

Özcan also asked if the activities of this unit “were suspended for the time being.” He also asked if there were any plans to shut it down permanently, if this had already not been done.

Commenting on Gönül’s evasive response, the Habertürk daily yesterday quoted Özcan as saying that “the statement includes the answer in itself.” He also said he was surprised by the answer.

“If this really cannot be answered due to it being classified information, there is nothing I can say.” He however said that although the defense minister had answered him, the right addressee for the question was in fact the prime minister. “I asked the prime minister. Mr. Prime Minister has been making harsh statements directed at Israel, but at the same time he refuses to answer whether there is a unit that works in co-operation with Israel inside the General Staff. I think this has a lot of significance.”

The relations between Turkey and Israel have been troubled since Israel’s Gaza offensive last year. This was followed by a televised insult to Turkey’s ambassador in Tel Aviv earlier this year – regarding a Turkish television show that depicted Israeli intelligence agents as murderers of infants. Following Ankara’s threats to recall its ambassador, a formal apology was issued by Israel. Although there were attempts to improve relations, the Israeli military killed eight Turkish citizens and one Turkish-American on board a ship attempting to breach Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza in May of this year.

11 October 2010, Monday
TODAY’S ZAMAN