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Israel assasinates wheelchair bound hamas leader Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1080188585551http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1080188585551
Israel downplays Turkey's criticism of Yassin killing
HERB KEINON and AP Mar. 25, 2004
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has strongly condemned the assassination of Hamas spiritual leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin and hinted that he might reconsider plans to visit Israel next month, the daily Hurriyet reported Thursday.
He told the newspaper in an exclusive interview that the assassination of Yassin had hampered efforts to broker peace in the region.
"Mideast peace has suffered a serious wound in this incident," Erdogan said. "There is no road map left... I don't find such an assassination humane."
Sources in Jerusalem downplayed Erdogan's comments, saying that – if the quotes are accurate – Israel regrets the remarks.
At the same time, the sources said this type of censure did not appear in the official statement put out after the assassination by the Turkish Foreign Ministry, in which Ankara''s response was much milder.
The sources said Erdogan made his comments on an airplane on the way to Switzerland, and that the words caught both Israeli and Turkish officials by surprise.
The sources also said that the comments should be seen within the context of Erdogan having to play to his own domestic Muslim audience.
Erdogan also indicated he might reconsider a proposed visit to Israel in April.
"I don't know how it will be possible in this situation," Erdogan was quoted as saying.
Turkey, a predominantly Muslim but secular country, enjoys warm relations with both Israel and the Palestinians.
Turkey has close military ties with Israel and recently signed a deal to sell water to Israel.
But Erdogan accused Israel of using "terror" against the wheelchair-bound Yassin.
"You're destroying with rockets a man two-thirds of whom is paralyzed," he said.
"We have to determine under which definition of terror in the world this falls," Erdogan said. "If we want peace in the Middle East, first of all, Israel should give up such attitude and actions. I think this action has overshadowed peace." Monday's assassination angered radical Islamic and some leftist groups in Turkey.
On Thursday, some 150 leftists staged a brief demonstration in front of the Israeli Embassy in Ankara, chanting anti-Israeli slogans under tight police security.
Erdogan, meanwhile, said Turkey's efforts to help mediate peace between the Palestinians and Israel were also destroyed by the attack.
"There is no mediation left," Erdogan said. "They turned everything into smoke."
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