These are sad times indeed for those with a strong attachment to Israel, and an equal and longstanding respect for Turkey. The unique relationship shared by these two countries, down through history and into the present, is being undermined in a stormy environment of disagreement, and charged rhetoric.
We need not go into a rehash of the much-discussed events and the diplomatic rows that brought us to this pass. The strongly critical remarks by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, first at Davos in response to Israel's December 2008 invasion of Gaza, and more recently over the flotilla episode and the deaths of nine Turkish activists aboard the Mavi Marmara, have cast a deep pall over the Israeli-Turkish relationship.
The echoes of Davos and the flotilla affair seem to be prevailing over calm heads and good will, and we can only wonder, why?
Sadly, an historic era of cooperation may be slipping away, as Turkey appears on the verge of abandoning a role it so proudly played as a bridge between the Muslim world and the West. The inter-governmental and people-to-people relationships are fraying, and the tangible benefits they have brought to both sides are at serious risk.
This is a shared history based on mutual interests and concerns. In March 1949, Turkey became the first Muslim state to recognize Israel, and in 1958, Turkish Prime Minister Adnan Menderes and Israeli Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion met in secret to sign a military and intelligence cooperation agreement. Ben-Gurion later wrote to President Dwight D. Eisenhower that Israel's "links with the Government of Turkey have grown more intimate in secret channels."
Turkish-Israeli relations have always had ups and downs. Yet, until recently, the unmistakable trend for the prior two decades was growing trade and investment, more cultural exchanges, increased tourism, ever greater military and intelligence cooperation and more frequent political meetings.
The relationship was much more than strategic. Both Israeli and Turkish societies benefited from close ties that transcended the politics of the moment. Israelis found in Turkey a beautiful country for vacations and struck up close friendships in Turkey. After a disastrous earthquake struck Turkey in 1999, Israel was one of the first countries to extend emergency assistance by sending sophisticated equipment and search and rescue crews. The Israeli public launched a spontaneous campaign to assist the victims, as thousands of Israelis stood in line across the country to donate more than 25 tons blankets, clothing and food.
There was also the memory of history. Turkey, and the Ottoman Empire that preceded it, served as a safe haven for Jews, from the time of the expulsion from Spain and Portugal and into the Holocaust years. And Turkey's protection of its own minority Jewish community was admirable and unique among the nations - and particularly in the aftermath of the 2003 bombing of two synagogues in Istanbul, when Turkish leaders stood up to publicly decry anti-Semitism.
Until recently, Turkey was held up as proof that a Muslim-majority country could have warm and significant relations with the Jewish state. Turkey now seems to shun that globally important role.
Today, the relationship is in steep decline. Turkish Foreign Minister Davutoglu compared the Gaza flotilla incident to the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Turkey recalled its ambassador to Israel, and President Abdullah Gul has left open the possibility of breaking off relations altogether.
Israeli tourism to Turkey has plummeted, and Israeli supermarkets are boycotting Turkish products. Turkey has cancelled joint military exercises. Israel and Turkey have clashed over policies toward Iran, Hamas, and Syria. Erdogan is reported to have angrily proclaimed in public remarks that the Star of David is the same as the Nazi swastika. A Turkish delegation of teachers and scholars, scheduled to participate in an event at Yad Vashem on the lessons of the Holocaust, failed to show.
Beyond the bilateral relationship, Turkey is in the process of losing other roles and friends. For many years, Turkey has sought to leverage its geographic linking of the Middle East and Europe to create connections between different religions and cultures. Today, however, its rapprochement with Iran, Hamas, and Syria generates doubts, not confidence, in the U.S. and elsewhere.
The American Jewish community has long been supportive of Turkish interests in the United States, as a NATO ally and based on its strategic relationship with Israel, a premise that many politically active Jewish organizations may have to revisit.
Turkey, Israel and the international community would benefit from a reversal of this downward spiral. An investigation into the flotilla affair with international observers has been commissioned by Israel, and hopefully it will provide a base from which to rebuild the relationship. Until then, both Israelis and Turks should exercise care with their rhetoric and their actions.
However, should that investigation uncover Turkish government involvement with Insani Yardim Vakfi (IHH), the Istanbul-based charity that was one of the major sponsors the Free Gaza flotilla, and its preparations for violently confronting Israeli solders - as some information now suggests - the report could be the death knell for rebuilding the relationship.
Hopefully, what we are seeing today from Turkey is a temporary detour from the path it has pursued so successfully for years. Hopefully, the friendship we had come to know and to rely on will re-emerge.
Hopefully, the instincts of the Turkish people that wrote a magnificent chapter in Jewish history more than 500 years ago as a haven and refuge for those expelled from Spain will bring Turkey back from the brink.
Then we will be able to continue to celebrate our long-held affection and respect for Turkey.
Abraham H. Foxman is National Director of the Anti-Defamation League and author of "The Deadliest Lies: The Israel Lobby and the Myth of Jewish Control."
http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2007/08/18/adl_local_leader_fired_on_armenian_issue/
It's obvious that if the Turks had never tried to end the blockade of Gaza, people like Foxman would still be denying the Armenian Genocide.
23 Die As Turkish Troops, Kurdish Rebels Clash
Turkish troops clashed with Kurdish rebels Saturday in northern Iraq; 11 soldiers and 12 rebel fighters died. The rebels have stepped up attacks on the military recently, threatening a government attempt to end one of the world's longest guerilla wars.
Talk about the pot calling the kettle black. And this "clash" with Kurdish "rebels" occurred in Iraqi Kurdistan, not Turkish Kurdistan. Where is the outrage?
Mr Foxman:
It is fascinating, sir, that where *remarks* need to be properly attributed, but *shooting deaths* do not. It is further fascinating, sir, that *remarks* are capable of casting a pall over a strategic international relationship, but *shooting deaths* are not.
How, sir, did these 'deaths' occur, and at whose hands?
It is fascinating, sir, that *remarks* need to be properly attributed, but *shooting deaths* do not.
http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/who-will-be-punished-for-killing-civilans-in-the-gaza-war-1.297390
Full article for those of you whose minds aren't completely closed:
http://sultanknish.blogspot.com/2010/06/noose-around-israels-neck.html
The point is that while all this is pretty much being ignored by the U.N., the world community at large and probably yourself, the Jewish State is condemned by all as ( the author says) "the cause of all the troubles of ... otherwise peaceful nations. The worm in the lovely healthy apple otherwise covered with Muslim tyrannies." Something is very wrong here. Like I said, anyone who hasn't closed their mind completely might learn something from actually reading the article.
Where are the demonstrations in the world?. Did you know that the media in turkey is controlled by the islamist government headed by Erdugan. All the objective reporters are being jailed or fired. Did you know that turkey is a strong sponsor of Iran (ahmenijad). Did you know that turkey seeks to have nuclear weapons & knowledge from Iran! Did you know that turkey commited genocide and killed millions of armenians & kurds.
But I guess when it comes to muslim countries no european will demonstrate because they are affraid that the 20% muslims that live there will burn there cities. Another thing, 2000 uzbecks butchered in kirgistan!!!where are the demonstrations?WORLD WAKE UP! DON`T LET MUSLIM COUNTRIES HAVE NUCLEAR WEAPONS!MAKE THEM HAVE HUMAN RIGHTS,LAW ETC...
One: Do you think we are seeing the death of the West and the rise of new world powers in the East?
Two: Tom, it was great talking to you this morning, but would you mind not quoting me by name? I’m afraid the government will retaliate against me, my newspaper or my business if you do.
Three: Is it true, as Prime Minister Erdogan believes, that Israel is behind the attacks by the Kurdish terrorist group P.K.K. on Turkey?
Four: Do you really think Obama can punish Turkey for voting against the U.S. at the U.N. on Iran sanctions? After all, America needs Turkey more than Turkey needs America.
There are "those with ... an equal and longstanding respect for Turkey"?
Equal and longstanding respect?
Just who exactly who are these people who have such equal respect for others?
You are trying to make us believe that Ankara ties to Israel far outweighs its strategic ties to the Islamic world of 1.3 billion, all of whom reject Israels actions in the region. Not only Turkey has protected Jews in the past. It has followed a Muslim tradition. Jews prospered under the Andalusian empire in Spain until the Inquisition.
Many would also take issue when you say: "Turkey, Israel and the international community would benefit from a reversal of this downward spiral." You seem to forget that the majority of this community is faulting Israel for this crisis. I believe that this where your effort should be focused. Trying to get Israel back into the folds of the world community by respecting and obeying international laws that call for the end of its occupation.
Just testing to see if the biased mod allows this controversial message to be posted.
You see Europe is a huge part of the west and way too well informed to fall for such rubbish.
Childish scaremongering.
Words Abe, just words.
“Erdogan is reported to have angrily proclaimed in public remarks that the Star of David is the same as the Nazi swastika.”
Is actually a view widely held by Arabs as best illustrated by the following PowerPoint presentation.
http://www.authorstream.com/Presentation/hassanmostafa-341064-who2-news-reports-ppt-powerpoint/
The real question here is why does Israel continue to believe that the Turkish Prime Minister is acting for all reasons but his profound humanitarian belief that Israel is WRONG in the inhumane bombing of Gaza into the ground resulting in over 1000 civilian deaths and an incomprehensible siege that has deprived 1 ½ Million people from their basic daily needs for over three years.
So why do you continue to use them?
"Hopefully, what we are seeing today from Turkey is a temporary detour from the path it has pursued so successfully for years."
Do you call murdering a nineteen year-old Turkish American on the deck of the Mavi Marmara with five shots all less than eighteen inches away from his body an Israeli success? How about the eight dead Turks?
Since when are volunteer civilian aid workers now "terrorists"?
Could it be now, because of the huge spotlight the Free Gaza movement has shown in ending Israel crime against humanity, the closure of Gaza, Israel is suddenly calling everyone "terrorists"?
This creeping fascism against human rights organizations, and peace activists in Israel is an assault on civil society. Even today a German Minister was refused entry to Gaza by Israel!
The ICRC came out Monday and said they have been informing Israelis officials for some time that the closure of Gaza is illegal. They have now gone public.
After all these years of collectively punishing Gazans, Israel should expect spirited resistance.
Average people are becoming sickened that Israel has gotten away with the occupations and now the closure of Gaza for so many decades.
And more and more people have now learned the true cause of the continued unrest. Starting with a half a million illegal colonists still growing after decades.
If he was the guy stabbing the soldier in the stomach it was definitely a success
"Since when are volunteer civilian aid workers now "terrorists"?"
When they just pretend to be aid workers BBS when meanwhile there's ten thousand dollars in their pocket that says they're really a mercenary.
"Could it be now, because of the huge spotlight the Free Gaza movement has shown in ending Israel crime against humanity"
The only spotlight shown was on how naive or co opted this flotilla movement is. From IHH to Hezbollah, Iran, Syria.
Even the Turkish press are beginning to voice their disgust with the AKP role in this
If people actually cared about Palestinians, why are they still living in utter squalor in refugee camps like I've listed below? Have you ever seen these camps BBS ? If not, why not? You're so indignant about Israeli mistreatment of the Palestinians, so I assume you care about Lebanese mistreatment too.
These camps are much worse then Gaza.
Why are the Lebanese allowing it to continue?
What's really going on is very transparent.
As usual its all about exploiting the Palestinians to get at Israel of course
Pathetic
Nahr-el-Bared
Baddawi
Wavell
Taalabayyeh
Barr Elias
Dbeyeh
Tel-el-Zaatar
Jisr-el-Basha
Burj-el-Barajneh
Al-Jnah-Ouzaai