Turkey bars Israeli military flight as Jerusalem inquiry opens

Turkey has barred an Israeli military plane from using its airspace in what appears to be a retaliation for Israel’s May raid on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla. Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will be the first witness to testify before an Israeli committee investigating the raid, as the panel on Monday began its deliberations.

Reuters

A Turkish diplomat said Monday that the flight was banned, adding that future flights will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis.

"Military planes are required to obtain overflight permission before each flight,” the diplomat told the AFP news agency.

Turkey's prime minister confirmed that a "ban" had been implemented following the 31 May raid, in which nine Turkish citizens were shot dead by Israeli commandos.

The Anatolia news agency Monday quoted Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan as saying that his country had closed its airspace to Israel after the raid on the aid flotilla.

The raid delivered a huge blow to Turkey's strained ties with the Jewish state, its estranged regional ally.

The diplomat said that future overflight requests would be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, while civilian flights remain unaffected.

Israel's transport ministry responded on Monday that it had not been officially informed of any procedural changes for entering Turkish airspace. Israel says its flights will continue its flights as usual, until it receives notice to the contrary.

In Jerusalem, the Tirkel Commission on Monday officially opened its investigation into the flotilla raid, announcing its decision to summons Netanyahu.

A date has not yet been set for him to testify.

Defence Minister Ehud Barak and Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi will also appear before the commission, with the major testimonies likely to happen "some time after Netanyahu comes back from Washington".