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January 5, 2009 (LPAC)--The Turkish government, which was mediating peace talks between Israel and Syria, and was reportedly approaching the point of achieving direct talks between the two nations right before the Israeli army launched its assault on the Gaza Strip, is totally enraged at Israel's invasion of Gaza. Both Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and President Abdullah Gül, along with the Foreign Ministry, have been making the strongest denunciations of Israel's behavior.

Hours after the Israeli invasion, the Turkish Foreign Ministry issued a statement condemning Israel: "Israel's launch of a ground incursion despite all our calls has aroused indignation and further increased our concerns. We find Israel's launch of a ground incursion -- despite warnings by the international community and reaction within international public opinion -- unacceptable, and we condemn it.... It is obvious that escalating the tension will bring no use to anybody. Looking for a resolution to the problem through military means will yield no result other than more blood and tears. We are once more calling for an end to Israel's military operation without leading to more loss of lives and without making the region more unstable; for an immediate end to hostility; and for a permanent cease-fire. We expect the UN Security Council to immediately intervene in the situation and take the necessary steps to bring the incidents under control," it concluded.

Speaking at a press conference after meeting with King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia on Jan. 3, prior to the invasion, Erdogan declared: "A six-month-long truce was maintained, and Hamas observed it. But Israel didn't stick to the deal for lifting the embargo. People in Gaza are living in a sort of open-air prison. Actually, Palestine in general is a prison. Humanity should be sensitive at this point," Erdogan said, referring to an Egyptian-brokered truce which Hamas refused to extend on December 19. Israel says the blockade, enforced for much of the period since Hamas won the Palestinian general elections in 2006, is designed to prevent Hamas from obtaining weapons.

Erdogan continued: "I'm calling on the entire world again. Why don't you show the sensitivity you showed in Georgia? Russia at the time started an incident in Georgia. The UN, the US, the EU countries and others mobilized rapidly," he said, referring to the fact that Russia invaded U.S.-allied Georgia in August after the Georgian army tried to take control of South Ossetia, a Russian-backed breakaway region. "Everybody remains unmoved while Gaza is shot with disproportionate power," he added.

Speaking on his return to Turkey, Erdogan went even further, charging Israel with "inhumane actions" which will "bring it to destroy itself... Allah will sooner or later punish those who transgress the rights of innocents."

Turkey, which has just rotated onto the United Nations Security Council, can be expected to play a major role in discussions in that body on the Gaza situation. As a key interlocutor of Israel, as well as the Arab world, it is in an ideal position to take up its mediation position again, once the British-induced madness of the current invasion has been brought to an end.