MK Yoel Hasson (Kadima) sent on Wednesday a letter to Turkish Prime Minister Rajab Erdogan, following what he calls "the sending of messages attacking the State of Israel and the IDF in particular." Hasson wrote that "your government and media attack Israeli soldiers and call them 'murderers and terrorists'. These words sting my ears, especially given the fact that several years ago, when you had a terrible tragedy which killed over 40 thousand civilians due to an earthquake, the State of Israel sent its best sons who put their lives on the line in trying to rescue even a single member of the Turkish people."
MK Hasson added that "I myself was sent to Goeljuk – to the Midshipman School of the Turkish army, to direct the rescue operations. It was exciting then to see the warm embrace of the Turkish people and its appreciation of our efforts."