Israel must be wary of the press reports about Ankara’s desire for reconciliation, as the latter’s sole desire is under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has been isolating Israel and empowering Israel’s enemies, the Jerusalem Post said in an editorial published on Saturday.
If Erdoğan is sincere in his desire to mend ties with Israel, it said, he must make amends for calling Israel a Nazi country, expel Hamas members and “stop the flirtation with anti-Israel extremist groups.’’
Erdoğan in an unexpected statement in December said that Turkey would like better ties with Israel
Once allies, the two countries have had a bitter falling out which began over a decade ago.Israel-Turkey relations began to deteriorate after Israel raided a Gaza-bound aid flotilla in 2010, killing ten pro-Palestinian activists, most of them Turkish citizens, onboard the Mavi Marmara, a Turkish ship.
The Turkish governmenthas repeatedly condemned Israel’s occupation in the West Bank and its treatment of Palestinians while criticising recent U.S.-brokered rapprochements between Israel and a number of Muslim countries.
“Israel’s government has a long history of this abuse from Turkey and no evidence that Turkey does anything to mend ties,’’ the Jerusalem Post said. “Turkey could start by stating that Israel is not like Nazi Germany. Otherwise, there is nothing to talk about.’’
Ankara must also stop giving “a red carpet to the Hamas commanders who have blood on their hands,’’ and welcome with hugs, the Jerusalem Post said.
Hamas is considered a terrorist organisation by Israel and the United States while Turkey says the group is a legitimate political movement that won power through democratic elections.
The group established an office in Istanbul after the Syrian Civil War forced it to abandon one of its bureaus in Damascus and Turkey has been accused of providing funds and even citizenship to its top officials.
Erdoğan hosted the political chief of Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, in Turkey twice last year, prompting condemnations from Israel, as well as global powers such as the United States.
Last week, Haniyeh spoke with Turkey’s state-run news agency to commemorate the 45th anniversary of Palestinian Land Day.