Yeni Safak , Turkey
Sept 15 2011
PKK, Israel, and lies
by Yasin Dogan (Yalcin Akdogan)
[translated from Turkish]
The PKK issued two different statements during the current week. It
claimed that an international effort is made to use it as an
instrument. The first was related to the organization’s reaction to
Israeli Foreign Minister Lieberman’s argument that Israel might use
the PKK and the second was related to the apology the Firat News
Agency [ANF] made after it removed the report it posted on its website
on the talks that were allegedly held [between the Turkish
Ingelligence Organization and the PKK] in Oslo. It was removed from
the website within a short period after it was posted.
The two developments showed that terrorist PKK tried to create the
impression that it will not allow itself to be used. Strangely enough,
the assessments that have been made on the two statements described
Israel as the main actor and the PKK as an instrument that is being
used. The report was serviced when the Turkish delegation arrived in
Egypt, a visit which attracted significant attention. It was aimed at
weakening the Turkish Government and the MIT [Turkish Intelligence
Organization] undersecretary. Israel issued statements against him
several times in the past.
Jewish daily Yedioth pulished a report on Lieberman’s statement that
they might support the PKK against Turkey. However, it was later
denied. A high-level reaction came from the PKK to it. Stressing that
the PKK will not allow itself to be used against any country, Murat
Karayilan said: “We regret that they regard us as a tactical
instrument.” In fact, he further blamed Israel for the capture of PKK
leader Abdullah Ocalan and called for an apology.
It is understood that the disclosure of the relations between Israel
and the PKK made the organization uneasy. It had some of the Israeli
officials issue differing statements through the ANF. The statements
that were made by journalist Jonathan Spyer, former Israeli Government
expert on foreign policy, were carried by the news agency.
Furthermore, Lieberman’s statements on the PKK were described as his
personal views. While trying to save the PKK, Spyer hinted that Israel
might adopt such a policy. He said: “I do not believe that Lieberman’s
statement in Yedioth, which mentioned the Armenian Lobby and the PKK
to threatened Turkey, reflected the views of the Israeli Government.
What he said should be seen as the [personal] remarks of Foreign
Minister Lieberman. He outlined possible moves that should be made
against Turkey. If Turkey maintains its present approach against
Israel…”
BDP [Peace and Democracy Party] co-chairman Selahattin Demirtas made a
similar statement on the relations between Israel and the PKK shortly
after the disclosure that was made by the PKK on the Qandil Mountain.
Stressing that the statements that link the BDP with the PKK made him
uneasy from time to time, Demirtas moved to adopt a defensive position
as if they are the parts of the same body. He said: “The Kurdish
people will not rely on Israel or any other international force. That
is impossible. We will reject the promises Israel might make to the
Kurds because of its problems with Turkey. We will reject the
opportunities it might present to the Kurds in a golden tray and
prefer to be crushed. The freedom Israel might create will not be
freedom. We are not a movement that can sell off our fraternal
relations for the sake of international interests. Had we been such a
movement, Kurdistan would have been established a long time ago.”
The statements by the PKK on the Qandil Mountain and the BDP were due
to their fear that the people in the region might react to the hint
that Israel might use the organization. That is why the PKK adopted a
tactical approach.
The report on the alleged meeting in Oslo was posted on the pro-PKK
websites. However, it was later removed and an apology was made. The
ANF serviced the information under the title: “The Report That Will
Create a Serious Problem for Recep Tayyip Erdogan.” However, it issued
this statement after a short time: “The recording in a Dicle News
Agency [DIHA] internet report was serviced on our website this
morning. It remained posted for a short time, until the DIHA officials
warned that the it was not posted by them. They later disclosed that
it appeared on their website after a cyber attack. Consequently, the
source of the report became unknown. It was removed from our website
15 minutes after it was posted. We apologize to all those who follow
our website.”
The two developments show that the organization, fearing an
unfavourable impression in the public opinion, adopted a hesitating
approach. It is now trying to manage the situation through tactical
moves that will allow it to do harm without being harmed in return.