05-03-2010, 08:53 AM
[url="http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/137303"]
Report: Israel Nixes Weapons Sales to Turkey[/url]
Report: Israel Nixes Weapons Sales to Turkey[/url]
Quote:by Maayana Miskin
Israel has begun turning down Turkey's requests to buy certain advanced weapons, according to the military news and analysis sites Jane's Defense Weekly and DEBKAfile. Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Recep Erdogan has made scathingly anti-Israel remarks, and has [url="http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/135478"]drawn closer to Syria and Iran[/url].
According to the report, the Turkish navy was interested in acquiring the Barak 8 missile interceptor, a system developed jointly by Israel and India. The system provides 360-degree coverage from missile or air attack.
Israeli sources said Turkey's request was rejected over fears that Turkey would allow Iran to study the technology.
Indian military leaders were also against the sale, fearing, like Israel, that the technology would be shared with Iran. From there, it could be traded to Pakistan in exchange for nuclear technology, they worried, giving the Pakistani army a technological boost.
The Israeli air force has been blocked from Turkish air space for training. India has developed close military ties with Israel and may be a possible solution.
In November 2009, DEBKAfile reported that Erdogan had promised Iran that it would have Turkish support in case of an Israeli attack on Iranian nuclear sites. Turkey agreed to pass on any intelligence information suggesting that Israel or the United States was preparing a strike on Iran, the report stated. (IsraelNationalNews.com)