Jerusalem Post
Jan 16 2010

US Jewish leaders vexed by Turkey’s hostility towards Israel

By HILARY LEILA KRIEGER, JPOST CORRESPONDENT IN WASHINGON

The chill in relations between Jerusalem and Ankara is resulting in a
few cold winds blowing through Washington as well, though ties between
Turkey and its traditional Western, pro-Israel backers haven’t reached
the deep-freeze stage, according to several sources.

Several Jewish groups have historically worked closely with Turkey and
its embassy here, seeking to foster Israel’s close relationship with a
Muslim neighbor and strategic heavyweight in an otherwise hostile
neighborhood, and at times these groups have lobbied Capitol Hill on
the issues supported by Ankara.

On Armenia, for instance, some Jewish groups have pushed members of
Congress not to pass resolutions labeling Turkey’s role in World War I
massacres as genocide.

"Turkish hostility to Israel will naturally have ramifications when
political issues regarding Turkey arrive on these shores. How could it
not?" asked one Jewish leader in Washington, speaking on condition of
anonymity. "Friends of Israel across the government and across the
non-governmental sector will take notice."

"People are not thrilled with Turkey at the moment," agreed one source
close to the Hill, but he added, "I have not heard of a major
reorientation. That doesn’t mean people won’t reassess, especially if
things get worse."

Jewish organizational officials in Washington have conveyed their
concerns to the Turkish Embassy in Washington, with one official
saying that "those channels remain open."

Jewish leaders have also been pleased that the Obama administration
has taken up the issue, pressing Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan
to improve the relationship during his December visit to the US
capital.

The US State Department declined to comment for this story, as it
involves sensitive relations between two allies.

Despite the US intervention, little has been seen to change on the
ground, and indeed another round of flaring tempers exploded this past
week, worsening relations further.

At the same time, another Jewish official pointed out, "The
relationship with Turkey is bigger than Erdogan" and the current
Islamic government. That government, led by Erdogan’s AKP party, has
downgraded the historically close relationship between the two
non-Arab countries cultivated by earlier secular governments.

But the Anti-Defamation League, a Jewish organization with some of the
strongest ties to Turkey, said it was encouraged by the appointment of
a new ambassador to the United States, Namik Tan, who last served as
ambassador to Israel and before that as a liaison to the Jewish
community in a lower-ranking post in Washington.

"I would like to think there was a certain calculation in sending him.
The fact that he’s known in Washington, on the Hill, and that he’s
worked with the Jewish community, which he served in Israel, I would
like to think that that’s [one] way of sending a positive signal,"
said Jess Hordes, director of the ADL’s Washington office.

"Our relationship with the embassy has been, and I think will remain,
close," he said.

He also said that on the issue of the Armenian massacres, the ADL’s
position hadn’t changed.

"We continue to believe that there was a genocide, but there’s no
useful purpose in the House or the Senate passing a resolution on it
at this time," he explained. "It’s a principled post that the better
way of addressing this issue is for the Armenians and the Turks to
move forward with this through the historical commission" that’s been
established.

But he added, "We have expressed our concerns about some of the
statements that the prime minister has made that have been
unremittingly hostile to Israel. We have also urged them to speak out
where there are TV series that are very provocative and promotes an
atmosphere in that society where Israel and Jews are demonized."

The latest diplomatic row was sparked by a television show that
depicted Mossad agents as baby-snatchers, which led to a summons of
the Turkish ambassador to Israel in a meeting designed to humiliate
him by seating him in a low chair and without a Turkish flag. Israel
later apologized for the breach in protocol.

The ADL sent out a statement earlier in the week charging that Turkey
"is becoming increasingly and openly hostile to Jews and Israel – with
harmful statements by government officials and hateful depictions in
the mass media."

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From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress