US embassy cable - 04ISTANBUL492

UNCLAS ISTANBUL 000492 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, PHUM, KISL, TU, Istanbul 
SUBJECT: TURKS PROTEST YASSIN'S DEATH, CONDEMN ISRAEL, U.S. 
 
1. (u) Summary: Protesters burned Israeli and American flags 
at a symbolic funeral held for the former Hamas leader 
Sheikh Ahmad Yassin following the noon prayer on Friday, 
March 26, in the Sultanahmet district, in central Istanbul. 
About 5,000 people participated in the demonstration 
organized by the Palestine's Friends Initiative, a group 
that includes some of Turkey's major Islamic NGOs. End 
Summary. 
 
 
2. (u) Following the Friday noon prayer on March 26, a large 
group of about 5,000 people gathered in Sultanahmet Square 
to protest the death of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin.  The 
demonstration was planned by the Palestinan Friend's 
Initiative, a movement which includes some of Turkey's major 
Islamic NGOs, including Mazlum-Der, Ozgur-Der, Insan Vakfi, 
and the Association of Jurists. 
 
 
3. (u) The organizers galvanized the crowd by hanging a 
Sheikh Yassin poster from one of the mosque's windows, 
distributing Palestanian flags, and shouting slogans, 
including "Sheikh Yassin, your way is our way," "Down with 
Israel," "Down with American Imperialism," and "Hail to 
Hamas, go on resisting." The mood of the crowd reached a 
frenzy when an effigy of Israeli PM Ariel Sharon and Israeli 
and American flags were set on fire.  The demonstration was 
concluded with a funeral prayer for Yassin and speeches 
criticizing Israel and the US. 
 
 
4. (u) The protest was held under the watchful eyes of a 
large riot squad from the Turkish National Police.  The 
organizers were careful to warn the crowd to disperse 
peacefully and at no point did the police intervene. 
 
 
5. (u) Comment: Islamists in Istanbul were quick to condemn 
Israel's actions, with many echoing Saadet Party leader 
Recai Kutan's remarks, "We once again see that the biggest 
terrorists are Israel and the US."  This outrage was shared, 
to a certain extent, by many Istanbul residents across the 
political spectrum.  Even Prime Minister Erdogan, perhaps 
motivated in part by the March 28 municipal elections, 
described Yassin's death as a "terrorist action." 
 
 
ARNETT