<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?><oembed><version><![CDATA[1.0]]></version><provider_name><![CDATA[Occupied Palestine | فلسطين]]></provider_name><provider_url><![CDATA[https://occupiedpalestine.wordpress.com]]></provider_url><author_name><![CDATA[occupiedpalestine]]></author_name><author_url><![CDATA[https://occupiedpalestine.wordpress.com/author/hajarhajar/]]></author_url><title><![CDATA[Turkey Not Present For Annual Naval Exercises With Israel And&nbsp;US]]></title><type><![CDATA[link]]></type><html><![CDATA[<p><span class="article-details"><span class="article-detail">Thursday August 04, 2011 13:12</span><span class="article-detail"> by Katie Child &#8211; 1 of International Middle East Media Center Editorial Group</span></span></p>
<blockquote class="article-intro"><p><strong>For the second year in a row, Turkey is not participating in the naval drill, Reliant Mermaid, with Israel and the US. This action taken by Turkey is a result of the killing of nine Turkish activists from the 2010 Gaza Flotilla Raid.</strong></p></blockquote>
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<p class="article">Greece has now replaced Turkey as a new ally in the Mediterranean, participating in naval drills with Israel and the US last week.</p>
<p>The purpose of the naval exercises is to practice “search-and-rescue operations” with International navy’s that are also present in the Mediterranean.</p>
<p>The goals of the naval drills are to strengthen international ties to share information with each other and familiarize the operational procedures between the three countries.</p>
<p>For the past ten years, until the 2010 Gaza Flotilla Raid, Israel, Turkey, and the US held annual naval drills together.</p>
<p>Israel had also used Turkish air space before the 2010 Gaza Flotilla Raid, when the Israeli Military killed nine Turkish activists.</p>
<p>Israeli military’s Lieutenant General Benny Gantz said earlier this week that Israel would not oppose a formal apology for the killing of nine Turkish activists, according to the Jerusalem Post.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.imemc.org/article/61798"><strong>Source &amp; more at the International Middle East Media Center</strong><br />
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