“Israel” Absent from International Air Exercises in Turkey

Local Editor

"Israel" was absent from the participants of the international aerial exercises that the Turkish army said Sunday would be conducted at an air force base in central Turkey.

The exclusion came as confirmation of Ankara's decision to scrap three planned military exercises with "Israel" after last Monday's raid on aid ships bound for Gaza that killed nine Turks.

The Turkish general staff said in a statement that the Anatolian Eagle aerial exercises would be held at the base in the central province of Konya on June 7-18 with the participation of planes from the US, the United Arab Emirates, Italy, Spain and NATO.

"Israel" had been a regular participant in Anatolian Eagle until last year, when it was shunned over what Turkish leaders then described as a growing public opinion against "Israel's" war on the Gaza Strip in late 2008 and early 2009.