Israel says Syria reason for restoring Turkey ties

[King_David]

Israel says Syria reason for restoring Turkey ties
Associated Press – 18 hrs ago.

JERUSALEM (AP) — Concerns that Syria's stockpile of chemical weapons could reach militant groups bordering Israel and Turkey was the motivating factor in restoring relations with Ankara after a three year rift, Israel's prime minister said.

Benjamin Netanyahu wrote on his Facebook page Saturday that Israel and Turkey, which border Syria, need to communicate with each other over the Syrian crisis.

"The fact that the crisis in Syria intensifies from moment to moment was the main consideration in my view," Netanyahu wrote.

Netanyahu phoned his Turkish counterpart Friday and apologized for a botched raid on a Gaza bound flotilla in 2010 that left eight Turks and one Turkish-American dead. Turkey demanded an apology as a condition for restoring ties. Netanyahu had until now refused to apologize, saying Israeli soldiers acted in self-defense after being attacked by activists.

Turkey and Israel were once strong allies but relations began decline after Erdogan, whose party has roots in Turkey's Islamist movement, became prime minister in 2003. Erdogan has embarked on a campaign to make Turkey a regional powerhouse in an attempt to become the leading voice in the Muslim world, distanced from Israel.

Animosity increased after the flotilla incident and ambassadors were later withdrawn


http://news.yahoo.com/israel-says-syria-reason-restoring-turkey-ties-190120177.html

[leveymg]

1. Refreshing candor - both countries expect to extend their own "security zones" into Syria.

The Golan Heights have already been carved off, Israel now wants the "moderate" FSA militias to control further territory along the border regions with Israel and Jordan.

The Turks are doing the same with the Islamic militias along their border, with the further expectation that the Syrian Kurds may secede altogether.