The Turkish Coalition of America, which seeks to foster friendship, understanding and cooperation between the United States and Turkey, is gravely concerned over the still unfolding crisis between Israel and Turkey and its potentially severe repercussions upon the region, as well as its impact on US-Turkey relations.
TCA deeply regrets and condemns the deaths of nine Turkish citizens, including a young Turkish-American, as a result of an Israeli military operation on a humanitarian aid ship. TCA joins the calls from the international community for a rapid, full and impartial investigation of the events and for a renewed focus on peacefully addressing their underlying causes, including the untenable status quo in Gaza.
We call on the U.S. administration to not merely express its “deep regret” for the civilian deaths, an expression that fell far short of rightful Turkish expectations, but to exercise bold leadership by reclaiming the mantle of an honest broker who can earn the trust of all of the parties to the Israeli-Arab conflict and bring them to the negotiating table expeditiously to make genuine progress. We also call on all concerned decision-makers and opinion-leaders to cool down the overheated rhetoric, which not only damages the over five centuries of friendship between the Turkish and Jewish peoples, but also prospects for peace in the region.