Turkish-Israeli Relations
The Gaza Flotilla incident took place in May 2010 when the Israeli defense forces boarded the Gaza Freedom Flotilla.
The six ships managed by the Free Gaza Movement and the Turkish Foundation for Human Rights and Freedoms and Humanitarian Relief carrying humanitarian aid, medical supplies, and construction materials was heading for the port of Gaza. The destination was against the Gaza strip Blockade imposed by the Israeli and Egyptian government in 2007.
This was the seventh attempt of the Free Gaza Movement. The six ships converged in Cyprus and then headed for Gaza. Their crew was of 718 people coming from 37 countries. Israeli officials denied access and requested that the ships are inspected in Ashdod. Then, it would be allowed to get the humanitarian aid to the Palestinians on land.
As a result the ships were raided by Jewish naval special forces in the international waters outside Gaza Strip. During the attack of the first ship Mavi Marmara Israeli soldiers were attacked by activists and they opened fire. Nina activists from the Turkish charity organization were killed, others wounded and hundreds detained. Seven commandos were injured as well. The wounded were transported to Israeli hospitals. All the detainees were released in the ensuing international scandal.
Many nations including NGOs and supranational organizations called for objective investigation into the matter. One was carried by Israeli officials and by the UN. There were many around the world against the Israeli aggressive reaction.
The outcome of the incident is the severely strained relations between the state of Turkey and Israel. Moreover, Egypt agreed to open its border so that aid can go through. Under mounting international pressure the Israeli government eased the blockade allowing construction and dual-use items to go through. There are no results of the investigation as of yet.

The Lycians were an ancient people who inhabited the area of present day Turkey between the bays of Antalya and Fethiye. This part of southwest Turkey with its gorgeous scenery is a superb place for nature-lovers and outdoor activity enthusiasts.
Saklikent Gorge is the second-largest (20 km-long) gorge in Europe, the longest and deepest gorge in Turkey, about a 40 minutes’ drive from Fethiye. Four km of the gorge is walkable after April when most of the snow from the Taurus Mountains has melted and passed through the gorge on its way to the Xanthos River.
Patara Beach is stunning with its gorgeous landscape, is 20 km long and 50m wide and never crowded. The beach is backed only by ancient ruins and swooping dunes, with no buildings visible save a small café at one end. Loungers and umbrellas are available for rent but there are no watersports or camping. The area is inexpensive and there’s a limited selection of low-key accommodation in nearby Patara town, with beach commuter transport or a longish walk.
Fethiye is one of the most popular resorts along the Turkish coast. It’s set on a wide bay, strewn with many islands. Fethiye is known for its rock tombs carved into the faces of the cliffs by the Lycians. There is a fortress on the hill overlooking the city which was built by Knights of Rhodes. The Beach and the Sovalye Island are perfect destinations for those who like to enjoy the most beautiful sea. Paragliding from Baba Mountain gives magnificent views for people flying over this great beach lagoon. There are a number of ancient cities, ruins and temples around Fethiye worth seeing.
Car hire agencies like Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz and Sixt operate in Turkey.

Bordered by eight countries and the magnificent Mediterranean, Black Sea and Aegean, the Turkish land houses in itself beautiful wonders. The religion is predominantly Islamic wit Turkish as the official language. The borders of the land stretch into both the continents so visitors will be able to get a feel of all the four season in a single vacation. Archeology, art, architecture and history are at their best in this land. You will also get a fair share of being in the lap of nature. So overall, Turkey is an all-rounder.

The history of Turkey is such that the culture of the place is a blend of the Islamic, Christian and Jewish traditions and culture. Evidently, you will find all types of interesting place significant of all the religions. Out from the cityscape, Turkey has about 8000 km of exotic shoreline with dominating mountains and magnificent landscapes all over the place. All this is sure to excite a nature and adventure lover.

Taking about the variety in cityscape, the city of Istanbul presents the blend of various cultures and communities. Being traditional to the core, the city does not miss out on modernization. There are many ancient castles, palaces, mosques and museums that you can drive to. Taksim is one of the modern localities which have a lot of entertainment in store for you. Do visit the Princes Island nearby to sink yourself in the virgin beauty of nature. A notable place in the vicinity is the Bosphorus.

The Golden Horn is a beautiful estuary and looks like a postcard picture. Here you will come across the old wooden huts synagogues and churches that date back to the period of Ottoman and Byzantine. The Tomb of Eyup and Eyup Camii are places of pilgrimage for the Muslims.

There are many car rental services that operate in the city with kiosks in the airport premises. Do get hold of a deal.

Turkey is the land where great battles were fought and many a great rulers established their reign. While the glorious days are lost, what they have left back is a testimony to the grand era. The castles and other ruins in Turkey speak volumes about the history of the place. Rent a car to witness all of them.

Measuring 780,000 sq km in area, the population of Turkey is 73 million. Since time and with the progressing world Turkey has not been left behind. What has been a powerful past still reflects in the essence of the Turkish culture. It’s a true magical world full of humanity, culture, history, commerce and gastronomy.

What gets most exciting with a car hire in Turkey is the beachside drive. Zoom along the coast of the Mediterranean and the Black Sea to enjoy the surreal beauty of the place. The city consists of colorful marketplaces, bazaars and of course the historical ruins. What you must not miss in the place are drives to the Old City of Istanbul, Blue Mosque, The city of Bursa (Old Ottoman), camel and other forms of wrestling arenas, Dardanelles, Gallipoli Peninsula, Troy, Bodrum, Ephesus, Castle of St John, Lycian tombs, Antalya, Museum of Anatolian Civilizations and Ethnographic Museum at Ankara, Sumela Monastery, Safranbolu, Cappadocia, Lake Van among the few.

There are other modes of travel available with excellent bus and train services which can be very comfortable but you will not get access to each territory. So to get a deeper look at the history and the associated ruins in turkey you got to comfort yourself with a rented car. Don’t worry the least as the deals are real cheap with a large variety of available models. Imbibe in the civilization.

Mustafa Kemal Ataturk is a famous Turkish army officer, revolutionary, statesman, writer, founder of the republic of Turkey and its first president.

He was born in Salonika in the family of a deed clerk and trader. He received the name Kemal meaning perfection during his studies for his excellence. He received military education in a junior high school in Thessaloniki, high school in Manastir and military academy in Istanbul.

He had a very active professional life taking part as an officer in the military conflicts in Italo-Turkish War, the Balkan Wars and the First World War. He became famous as an exceptional military frontline commander and quickly grew through the ranks. By the end of the First World War, a war that Turkey (the Ottoman Empire at that time) lost, he was a colonel. He was also very politically active. He took part of reformist movement, revolution and consequently of the national movement against the foreign occupation after the end of the war.

Keman Ataturk took a very important role in the Turkish national independence movement. He was one of the founders and leaders of the organized resistance faction. Consequently, he resigned from the Ottoman army and was condemned by the official authorities. In 1920 he organized the Grand National Assembly that created a National Army aimed at protecting the interests and independence and keeping the Turkish peoples in one country. He led three wars against the French, Armenian and Greek forces in order to achieve that. After the proclamation of the Republic of Turkey he was elected the first president.

His presidency can be characterized as a series of reforms leading to the modernization and secularization of the state. He introduced various reforms directed towards complete progression of the state and division of the three powers- executive, legal and judicial.

His social reforms were aimed at suppressing the role of religion in society, changing the social structures and giving women equal rights. His legal reforms introduced a constitution, secular civic code, and full legal and political equality for the sexes. He also made reforms in education. He introduced secular orientation in public education, changed and modernized the Turkish language as well as introducing a new alphabet based on Latin in comparison to the older one based on Arabic. His economic reforms were aimed at building big state owned enterprises and establishing public railway system.

Ataturk’s rapid revolutions in every sphere of society were profound and not always successful. He had to change century old traditions conditioned into the mindset of the general public. His reforms supported by the urban elite faced opposition by the majority living in the countryside accustomed to religious and traditional norms.

The biggest airport in Istanbul, Turkey is named after Kemal Ataturk. It was built in 1924, renamed Ataturk International Airport in 1980, and has become one of the busiest in the world in recent years. Car rental agencies like Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz and Sixt have their desks there.

Here is the interesting news for the marriage seekers in Turkey.

Ebru Selvi, the director of an online marriage website have quoted that “there is a gradual increase in the number of people who are getting fascinated for making marriages through the internet. On the internet, there are many hundreds of people who are meeting each other on the marriage website and are getting married on the internet.”

The director has stated that his “evlilikmerkezi.com” is the first and only marriage website established a year ago in Turkey is based on the scientific expertise.”

“It is a website which aims in creation of an alternative for the bachelors, aged above 18, who are eager to getting married as soon as possible.”

At present, there are nearly 400,000 members who use this site and of them 51 percent of the users are men and 49 percent of the users are women and the other 11 percent of the people are those who live in abroad.

He adds that the main reason for the increase in the internet marriages is because of the insufficient time and lack of proper social atmosphere, as nearly 93 percent of the internet users are working and have to face lack of time to get hitched.

The Ataturk International Airport is emerging as in importance as a leading airport connecting the Far East with the Far West with the rapidly growing Turkish Airlines as the principal passenger carrier.

The airport is being used by passengers from the Balkans, the Middle East, and the far end of Kazakhstan and even inland China, some sightseeing Istanbul or the others in transit using the many facilities that it provides.

There new runway capable of handling the largest aircraft in the world is being added to the airport which is targeting 50 million passengers annually.

The airport has two terminals, one international and the other domestic. The international terminal handles 79% scheduled and 21% chartered flights while the domestic terminal handles 93% scheduled and 7% chartered flights.

Istanbul International Airport Hotel offers 85 rooms of luxury accommodation, as well as hourly accommodation on the airside, the rooms equipped with TV sets showing flight details, music system, internet access, and Minibar and 24-hour room service.

The airport has a number of cafes, pubs, bar and restaurants spread over the departure and arrival areas to cater to the wining and dining needs of the traveller.

The duty free zone at the airport is ranked the 17^th largest duty free shop in world airports and has shops conveniently located at the departure floor with main shops 1 and 2, Old Bazaar and the arrivals area all featuring brands like S. Ferragamo & Versace, Hermes and Bvlgari.

Car rental agencies like Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz and Sixt have their desks at the airport.

The Republic of Turkey is bordered by eight countries and the Mediterranean, Aegean and Black Sea, making it geographically strategic in importance. It is predominantly Islamic and the official language is Turkish.

Why Turkey?

A visitor to Turkey can experience all four seasons at anytime of the year since it stretches into two continents and its rich heritage will give you the best of art, history, archeology or nature.

A rich history with the blend of Muslim, Christian and Jewish cultures, Turkey provides a place of interest irrespective of religion.

Surrounded by sea in four directions the 8000kms shoreline of Turkey and its rich flora and fauna, mountains, and magnificent landscapes make it a nature lover’s paradise.

To see.

Embracing Asia and Europe Istanbul, the capital city has many unique features. Having been the seat of both Christian and Islamic rule, Istanbul is religious yet secular, traditional yet modern a harmony of cultural coexistence.  The variety of Istanbul is reflected in its many ancient mosques, palaces, museums and bazaars. Taksim’s shopping area is all a buzz with entertainment and memories to take home. Princes Islands, the beautiful Bosphorus and the many parks bring serenity to the otherwise bustling city.

The Golden Horn estuary with its attractive parks and promenades lining the shores is a painting in real life.  At Fener and Balat, streets filled with old wooden houses, churches, and synagogues dating from Byzantine and Ottoman times enthrall the visitor. Eyup Camii and Tomb of Eyup, the Prophet Mohammed’s bearer is a site of Islamic pilgrimage, with mosques and graves interspersed among old Ottoman tomb stones.

Galata Tower near Tunel offers a great panoramic view of Istanbul. From Tunel to Taksim is one urban promenade for shopping and entertainment. Packed throughout the day late into the night is Istiklal Cadesi full of fashion shops, bookshops, cinemas, markets, restaurants and even hand-carts. St Mary’s Draperis church dating back to 1789 and Franciscan Church of St Antoine rebuilt in 1913 are in this area.

At the streets end, always crowded   is Taksim Square, a huge open plaza with an imposing monument depicting Attaturk and the War of Independence. Ataturk Cultural Centre and the Istanbul Military Museum are at the northern end of the square.

Taksim and Beyoglu are the centre of nightlife with many lively bars and clubs off Istiklal Cadesi, Beyoglu is also the center for Bohemian art.

The city of Istanbul is served by two international airports, Sabiha Gökçen International Airport and the Atatürk International Airport.

Major car rental agencies like Avis, Europcar, Budget and Hertz provide services at the airports.

A landscape dotted with battlegrounds, ruined castles and the palaces of great empires, turkey’s glorious past reflects on the powerful country it has transformed into today. The country is situated where Europe and Asia meet sprawling across an area of 780.000 sq. km. With a population of approximately 73 million, Turkey is a unique country: a rich, layered and magical world full of history, culture, gastronomy, humanity, and commerce.

CLIMATE

Due to the diverse nature of the landscape, and the existence in particular of the mountains that run parallel to the coasts, the climatic conditions of the region are altered from one region to the other. Marmara and the Aegean experience Mediterranean climate. The eastern side of Turkey has warm summers and cold winters with heavy snowfall. The south eastern region also has similar weather and climate. The Black Sea coast is the wettest part of the country.

TOURIST ATTRACTIONS

Turkey is an enchanting tourist destination with its gorgeous sandy beaches along its Aegean, Mediterranean and Black Sea coasts, colorful bazaars, market places, and famous architectural wonders of great historic importance. The main attractions are: Istanbul’s Old City, Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, Aya Sofya Museum, Istanbul’s Archaeological Museum, the Bosphorus, old Ottoman city of Bursa, sport of grease wrestling and camel wrestling, Gallipoli Peninsula, Dardanelles, Troy, Ephesus, Bodrum, Castle of St John, Antalya, Lycian tombs, Museum of Anatolian Civilisations and the Ethnographic Museum in Ankara, Safranbolu, Cappadocia, Sumela Monastery, Lake Van and many more..

AIRPORTS

Transport into Turkey by air is through the two main international gateways- Istanbul’s Ataturk International Airport and Ankara’s Esenboğa Airport. These airports have all the major services required of international airports. The passenger traffic is quite good on an overall basis.

The car rental companies that provide services at the airports are Airport VIP, Alamo-Esengül, Avias, Avis Decar, Budget, Europcar, EuroPark, Hertz, Nationel-Alama, PrimeVale, Sixt, Ülger and World.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

Domestic airlines available in the country connect all the major cities to and from Ankara and Istanbul. Bus transport is extensive and cheap. Buses which are operate at long distances have air conditioned buses and other additional services. Trains are cheaper but slower than buses. Only electric trains that run for particular lines, for instance, from Istanbul to Ankara and back provide quicker transport. The other options are car, the Dolmus/ the minibus, ferries and boats.