Ha’aretz reports the following:
Crews from Israel Aerospace Industries, operating unmanned aerial vehicles, are participating in Turkish military operations against PKK militants in northern Iraq, according to Turkish reports to be published today in the Turkish Daily News.
Ten days ago, the Turkish television station Star reported that IAI Heron UAVs are being used in the offensive against the Kurds.
The same report stated that Turkey’s Chief of Staff, General Yasar Buyukanit, had observed the UAVs’ operations in real time, in the operations room of the Batman air force base near the border with Iraq. The intelligence relayed by the UAVs was used by the Turkish Air Force in targeting the Kurdish militants.
However, in the Turkish Daily News report, a Turkish military source is quoted expressing criticism that the IAI and Elbit, which is also part of the Heron program, have failed to meet their contractual obligations and have delayed the supply of UAVs ordered for the Turkish Air Force in 2005.
“The delays have left the TuAF critically short of UAVs when intelligence input from those valuable reconnaissance assets are exceedingly required,” the Turkish military official was quoted as saying.
According to the Turkish newspaper, the presence of the Israeli crews is an interim solution that was offered following the delay in the delivery of the UAVs.
So here we have yet another example of Israeli support for Turkey and of the long term ‘cozy relationship’ between these two countries. For an interesting analysis of the current development see Mizgin’s excellent blog.
This must be a bit of a conflict of interests for Israel, no? Sure, Israel has long had good relations with Turkey, but does it not also see the Iraqi Kurds as a useful tool in that region – that whole ‘alliance of the periphery’ thing?
PKK is not just “Iraqi” Kurds. PKK is Kurds from ALL of Kurdistan, and PKK fights not only for Turkish-occupied Kurdistan, but for ALL of Kurdistan . . . and that’s something the “Iraqi” Kurdish leadership has NEVER done.
Israel is no friend of Kurds because it’s no friend of the majority of Kurds in the world–the Kurds under Turkish occupation. Israel’s role in the capture of Apo is proof enough of that.
Çok Yaşa Sen Halkımın Umudu Gerilla!
Bijî Serok Apo!
Thanks for the correction. If I understand right you are saying that the Israelis (like the Americans?) only supports ‘selected’ Kurds who fit their overall strategic interests?
Which Kurdish grounds does Israel have a history of supporting? BTW, what, if any, policy does Israel have towards Syrian Kurds? Does it see them as a potential tool against the Syrian state?
If I understand right you are saying that the Israelis (like the Americans?) only supports ‘selected’ Kurds who fit their overall strategic interests?
Of course.
Which Kurdish grounds does Israel have a history of supporting?
I don’t know what you mean by “grounds,” but Israel has historically supported the Barzanîs.
BTW, what, if any, policy does Israel have towards Syrian Kurds?
Whatever policy will support Israeli interests, and Israeli interests alone, will be Israel’s policy toward the Rojavayî Kurds.