The Turkish quagmire
Time:
"Overlooking Istanbul's Golden Horn, the historic neighborhood of Galata, founded as a Genoese trading port in the 14th century, has long served as a sanctuary for ethnic groups from around the world. Germans, French, British, Armenians, Greeks, Hungarians and Poles once lived there; Jews first settled in the area after fleeing the Spanish Inquisition in 1492. These days Turkey's Jewish community keeps a low profile, however. Galata's Neve Shalom synagogue, the city's largest, is barely visible behind facade of corrugated iron, security cameras and private security guards. Two Turkish policeman had kept watch outside. Both were killed Saturday, along with at least 18 others, when simultaneous car bomb blasts destroyed two synagogues in the commercial capital. More than 250 people were injured, including the Neve Shalom Rabbi and his son.
"...Turkey distanced itself from the war in Iraq but it retains closer ties with Israel than any other Muslim country in the region. 'This might well have been more directed at Israel than Turkey,' said a diplomat. The Jews of Turkey could be no more than a symbolic target, though. In 1900 there were 300,000; today, there are just 27,000."
Or perhaps some brilliant people in London will will blame Bush for not planning for people exploding at synagogs in Istanbul.
Time:
"Overlooking Istanbul's Golden Horn, the historic neighborhood of Galata, founded as a Genoese trading port in the 14th century, has long served as a sanctuary for ethnic groups from around the world. Germans, French, British, Armenians, Greeks, Hungarians and Poles once lived there; Jews first settled in the area after fleeing the Spanish Inquisition in 1492. These days Turkey's Jewish community keeps a low profile, however. Galata's Neve Shalom synagogue, the city's largest, is barely visible behind facade of corrugated iron, security cameras and private security guards. Two Turkish policeman had kept watch outside. Both were killed Saturday, along with at least 18 others, when simultaneous car bomb blasts destroyed two synagogues in the commercial capital. More than 250 people were injured, including the Neve Shalom Rabbi and his son.
"...Turkey distanced itself from the war in Iraq but it retains closer ties with Israel than any other Muslim country in the region. 'This might well have been more directed at Israel than Turkey,' said a diplomat. The Jews of Turkey could be no more than a symbolic target, though. In 1900 there were 300,000; today, there are just 27,000."
Or perhaps some brilliant people in London will will blame Bush for not planning for people exploding at synagogs in Istanbul.
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