GAZA EVENTS NOT TO AFFECT TURKEY, ISRAEL RELATIONS: TREND NEWS COMMENTATOR

Trend News Agency
Jan 23 2009
Azerbaijan

Head of Trend News Middle East Desk Rufiz Hafizoglu.

Israeli strikes across Gaza on Dec.27, 2008 entered the history as
unforgettable events. Firstly, the Gaza events demonstrated the
indecision of Arabian countries with regards to Israel. It also
became known that these countries followed only their own interests
in Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Intensification of military operations in Gaza and the death of
civilians instead of HAMAS leaders in these operations and untimely
prevention of these operations showed that many international
organizations are helpless before Israel. The Arabian countries were
limited with that street demonstrations against Israel were held in
some of them, Israeli goods were boycotted and finally they held the
summit of the League of Arab States which had no serious importance for
Israel. Commenting on the protests against Israel in Arabian countries,
Israel’s foreign minister said: We are awaiting such steps from Muslim
and Arab states". Only Turkey expressed the sharpest protest against
the conflict at official level.

Expressing his attitude towards the Gaza events, Turkey’s Primer
Minister Rajap Tayyip Erdogan said that Israel is committing genocide
against Palestinians. Unlike the reaction of Israeli officials to
the Arab states, Erdogan’s speech provoked a sharp reaction. Israel’s
deputy foreign minister, member of Knesset, Majalli Whbee, said in his
interview with the Turkish press: "Erdogan named Israeli operations in
Gaza genocide. Then, we also name the Turkish action against Armenians
in 1915-1918 genocide".

Touching upon the future of Turkey-Israel relations, Whbee said: Israel
believes that Erdogan’s statement regarding the military operations
in Gaza will not affect the relations between the two countries. If
Turkey continues to unfairly regard Israel as a guilty, we will
re-consider our relations which have been exiting for long years".

All these show that Israel is concerned by Turkey’s position on
official Tel-Aviv.

Then Israel was dissatisfied with the statement by Erdogan’s chief
foreign policy advisor Ahmet Davudoglu concerning the operations in
Gaza. Israel claims that gained the victory in Gaza, stroke a heavy
blow on the infrastructure of HAMAS and at the same time compelled
HAMAS to reach ceasefire. However, statement by Davudoglu denies
Israel’s triumph over HAMAS. Davudoglu said that HAMAS agreed to
cease fire not because it lost but because of the request of Turkey.

Turkey’s sharply accusing Israel of the operations in Gaza will not
affect the historical relations of the two countries. Meanwhile, all
over the world, the Armenian lobby is fully attempting to approach
Israel. Despite the anti-Israeli demonstrations in the world, Jewish
and Armenian lobbies held a joint campaign in the United States to
support Israel. "The Armenians are always with Israel" became the
unforgettable slogan of the campaign.

In reality, the ground for the change in Turkey’s position is not the
Gaza events, but the attitude of the West towards Turkey. Making sharp
statements against Israel, Turkey sends signals to the United States
and the European Union. At the same time, Turkey tries to prove that
it possesses authority in the region although it is not a member to
the EU.

Despite the sharp statements by Erdogan against Israel, worsening in
relations between the two countries can’t be expected. Even earlier
i.e. in 2006, Erdogan sharply criticized Tel-Aviv during 31-day war
when Israel pulled into the territory of Lebanon but after some
time, with the initiative of Tel-Aviv, he acted as a mediator in
Israeli-Syrian negotiations.