The Jerusalem Post
August 12, 2009 Wednesday

Israeli navy to partake in Turkish training exercise

First joint maneuvers since Operation Cast Lead indicate reduction of
tensions with Ankara

by YAAKOV KATZ

In a sign that tension between Jerusalem and Ankara has cooled down,
two Israeli Navy missile ships will sail to Turkey next week to
participate in the annual Reliant Mermaid search-and-rescue naval
exercise.

The maneuvers will be held in the Mediterranean Sea together with the
Turkish and American navies. The exercise, the first joint one with
Turkey since relations with Ankara grew tense during Operation Cast
Lead, will begin on August 17.

Several months after the January war, OC Ground Forces Command
Maj.-Gen. Avi Mizrachi said in a lecture that Prime Minister Recep
Erdogan needed to "look in a mirror" – and see the Armenian genocide
and Turkish occupation of northern Cyprus – before criticizing Israel.

Mizrachi’s comments were negatively received in Ankara, particularly
by the Turkish military, which is a strategic partner to the
IDF. Since Operation Cast Lead, the IAF – which regularly flew over
Turkey for training – has yet to deploy there and even sat out of a
large-scale aerial exercise called Anatalian Eagle, which was held in
June, and which it had attended in previous years.

The Reliant Mermaid exercise is aimed at improving coordination
between the Israeli, US and Turkish navies. Part of the challenge is
for all three navies to communicate in joint search-and-rescue
operations that could arise in the future.

The INS Lahav and INS Sufa will represent Israel at the exercise,
which will be attended by eight missile ships and three helicopters.