Time for Turkey to act like a member of NATO or leave

Turkey has postponed a joint air force drill after opposing Israel’s participation, the Israeli army says.

The regular exercise to improve international aerial cooperation was to involve several Nato air forces.

But Israel’s exclusion led to the United States and Italy refusing to take part in the exercise either.

Relations between Israel and Turkey have cooled since Ankara criticised Israel’s offensive in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip in December and January.

Turkey and Israel have previously enjoyed close military cooperation and conduct joint naval exercises.

The two countries share intelligence and have strong trade ties, following a military cooperation agreement in 1996.

Turkey is one of the few Muslim countries to have relations with Israel, but these have been under strain since the Islamist-rooted AK Party was elected to power in 2002.

In January, Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan publicly criticised Israel over the Gaza campaign and walked out on Israeli President Shimon Peres at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland.

NATO is, as its name suggests, is an organisation based on a treaty. Members which break that treaty should be sanctioned and ultimately, if the offending behaviour persists, excluded from the organisation.

The increasing stealth Islamification of supposedly secular Turkey under the Erdoğan government is becoming a cause for grave concern – along with the increasing trend of NATO members (including Turkey) to do exactly what they like – and politicise what should be a military pact.

Israel, for its part, should be admitted to NATO at the earliest opportunity – where we are sure it would prove a far more steadfast and reliable participant.

[Source: BBC News Online]

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