Turkish team to attend TA defense expo

Despite escalating crisis between Israel and Turkey, Israel Defense and Security Expo CEO welcomes Turkish delegation.

By YAAKOV KATZ
Turkish honor guard passes Israeli and Turkish flags 58 (R) (photo credit: REUTERS)
Turkish honor guard passes Israeli and Turkish flags 58 (R)
(photo credit: REUTERS)
Despite the escalating crisis between Israel and Turkey and Ankara’s decision to cut off military ties with the IDF, a Turkish defense delegation will arrive to participate in the fifth annual Israel Defense and Security Expo (ISDEF) at the Tel Aviv Fairgrounds on October 18 to 20.
ISDEF is one of Israel’s leading military and police trade shows and in 2010 some 5,000 people visited its 85 exhibitions.
Defense ministers from the Czech Republic, India, Slovakia, Hungary and Japan also came to attend the expo.
“We are happy to host the Turkish delegation like all of the other delegations from around the world that are coming to the expo with disregard to politics,” ISDEF CEO Tomer Avnon said on Thursday.
Defense Minister Ehud Barak said in his opinion, the crisis with Turkey would pass and that the two countries were not enemies and would not become enemies in the future.
He told Israel Radio that while he regretted the loss of life aboard the Mavi Marmara Turkish passenger ship during the navy’s raid last year, he did not regret the use of force.
“We have no interest in turning Turkey into our enemy,” Barak said. “Turkey is undergoing a deep and historic transformation and it is not in our power to change that.”