A second Freedom Flotilla will soon launch from Turkey and it will be escorted by the Turkish Navy.
The Turkish pro-Palestinian organization IHH announced that its second Gaza flotilla will be launched soon - and will be afforded protection by the Turkish Navy, Israel's NRG reported on Sunday.
Given that Turkey is a NATO member and the legality of the Gaza blockade under international law is still questionable this could lead to a sticky situation for the United States if there is a military conflict between the escort and Israeli ships. We will see what comes of this, and I hope that it does not come to violence.
7:45 PM PT: Thanks to leevank for clarifying the NATO issue. Turkey cannot invoke Article 5 because it is outside of Turkey's borders.
Turkey couldn't invoke the NATO Treaty (2+ / 0-)
Article 5 (the mutual defense obligation) only covers attacks on NATO members within Europe or North America, or within any portion of Turkey or its waters. If Israel were to attack a Turkish ship in the waters off Gaza, that would no more obligate other NATO members to come to Turkey's defense than Argentina's attack on the U.K. in the Falklands obligated other NATO members to come to the defense of the U.K.M/blockquote>
9:11 PM PT: Or not. Turkey may be able to invoke article 5 because it is in the Mediterranean. I feel it depends on the legal status of Israel's blockade of Gaza. If NATO accepts the blockade as legitimate then Turkey's actions would not trigger article 5, if it isn't legitimate then it would trigger.
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Are you sure about that? (10+ / 0-)
Here's article 6 of the Treaty
Article 6 (1)
For the purpose of Article 5, an armed attack on one or more of the Parties is deemed to include an armed attack:
on the territory of any of the Parties in Europe or North America, on the Algerian Departments of France (2), on the territory of or on the Islands under the jurisdiction of any of the Parties in the North Atlantic area north of the Tropic of Cancer;
on the forces, vessels, or aircraft of any of the Parties, when in or over these territories or any other area in Europe in which occupation forces of any of the Parties were stationed on the date when the Treaty entered into force or the Mediterranean Sea or the North Atlantic area north of the Tropic of Cancer.
Are you sure about that? (10+ / 0-)
Here's article 6 of the Treaty
Article 6 (1)
For the purpose of Article 5, an armed attack on one or more of the Parties is deemed to include an armed attack:
on the territory of any of the Parties in Europe or North America, on the Algerian Departments of France (2), on the territory of or on the Islands under the jurisdiction of any of the Parties in the North Atlantic area north of the Tropic of Cancer;
on the forces, vessels, or aircraft of any of the Parties, when in or over these territories or any other area in Europe in which occupation forces of any of the Parties were stationed on the date when the Treaty entered into force or the Mediterranean Sea or the North Atlantic area north of the Tropic of Cancer.
It says "the Mediterranean Sea."
Do you have other information
It says "the Mediterranean Sea."
Do you have other information?