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However, after the Mavi Marmara incident, considerable friction followed, including hostile public comments. Last January, for example, Erdogan said Israel's Turkel Commission Flotilla massacre investigation lacked credibility or value for concluding no violations of international law when, in fact, Israeli commandos committed cold-blooded murder.
He also wants Gaza's siege ended, said Hamas is Palestine's legitimate government, and called Netanyahu's Israel's worst ever, adding that Foreign Minister/Deputy Prime Minister Avigdor Lieberman is its "greatest problem."
Turkey wants Middle East security. Israel often threatens it. Both countries also vie for regional dominance, while at the same time cooperating on military, intelligence and other mutually strategic interests.
Under Erdogan, Turkey seeks a greater Middle East role, including as an intermediary between divergent sides while fulfilling its NATO membership obligations. In March, it sent five ships and a submarine to Libya's coast. In fact, Hurriyet Daily News quoted Erdogan saying:
"Turkey said 'yes' to three tasks within NATO: the takeover of Benghazi airport for the delivery of humanitarian aid, the task about control of the air corridor, and the involvement of Turkish naval forces in the corridor between Benghazi and Crete."
Moreover, since April, NATO's Libyan air operations have been run from its Izmir, Turkey Air Command Headquarters for Southern Europe.
In addition, from May 1 - June 2, Turkey hosted an opposition forces "Change in Syria" conference without pressing for regime change. In fact, after President Abdullah Gul's key advisor, Ersat Hurmuzlu, told Saudi Arabia's al-Arabya television that Assad had less than a week to meet protester demands, he retracted saying:
"We are not redesigning others' houses. It is Syria's own problem," in contrast to Saudi and US media sources openly calling for regime change, as well as Obama demanding Assad "reform," or "get out of the way."
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