In the wake of Turkey's indictment of former IDF Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi and three other former IDF officials, MK Nachman Shai said in a letter to Energy and Water Minister Uzi Landau Monday that Israel should ban Turkish companies from participating in tenders for infrastructure and other projects in Israel. “Israel cannot remain silent in the face of this radical action by Turkey, which not only damages IDF personnel, but will cause serious problems in Israel's relationship with Turkey. I intend to present my proposal to the relevant Knesset committees at the earliest possible time,” Shai wrote.
A Turkish court on Monday indicted former IDF Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi on charges of manslaughter, in connection with his role as head of the Israeli army during the attempted illegal landing of the Mavi Marmara on the shores of Gaza. Eleven people, who had participate in a lynch attack on IDF soldiers on the ship, were killed in a subsequent battle. Indicted along with Ashkenazi were former Israeli commander Eli Marom, former head of Military Intelligence Amos Yadlin, and former IDF commander Colonel Avishai Levi. The court is expected to issue arrest warrants for the four. If convicted, the four Israelis could collectively be sentenced to a total of 18,000 years in prison.