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February 19, 1999/3 Adar 5759, Vol. 51, No. 21
Missions shut in Europe after Kurds attack
MITCHELL DANOW
Jewish Telegraphic Agency
Israel ordered all its diplomatic missions in Europe closed after Kurdish protesters stormed the Israeli Consulate in Berlin this week. Three Kurds were killed by Israeli guards at the consulate, and 15 other Kurds were wounded in the Feb. 17 incident.
The protesters were angered by news reports, vehemently denied by Israel, that Israeli intelligence officials had helped Turkey arrest Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan in Kenya.
Israel's missions in the United States continued to operate normally, but its consulate in New York requested increased security from local officials, according to a consular official there. The U.S. State Department, meanwhile, urged Americans traveling abroad to take special precautions.
In Berlin, leading Jewish organizations closed their offices after the incident. The German government said the attack was "shocking" and appealed for calm.
Israel's growing military ties with Turkey have now embroiled the Jewish state in the Kurdish people's 14-year-old separatist struggle against Turkey. That struggle reached the boiling point this week when Turkey arrested the leader of the Kurdish separatists, Ocalan, who was flown to Turkey on Tuesday to face trial and a possible death sentence for his anti-government activities.
Kurdish protesters reacted with rampages throughout Europe, seizing consulates, battling with police and threatening mass suicides.
On Wednesday, Feb. 17, Kurds turned their anger on Israel, storming the Israeli consulate in Berlin. No Israelis were hurt, according to the Israeli Foreign Ministry. An Israeli woman who was a relative of an employee at the Berlin consulate was briefly taken hostage, but later released unharmed.
It is "unfortunate" that Israel has been dragged into the situation, said an official with a Jewish organization in Europe. The official noted that until now, Israel has had a "warm and sympathetic" relationship with Iraqi Kurds.
The two countries signed military agreements and conducted joint military training exercises in recent years.
In Tel Aviv, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the Israeli guards at the Berlin consulate had fired in self defense when Kurds broke in.
"While Israel regrets any loss of life, we are committed to defending Israeli citizens and Israeli missions throughout the world," Netanyahu said at a news conference Feb. 17.
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