Turkey & Israel

In an article called "Turkey and Israel share interests" by Yaakov Katz at the Jerusalem Post it mentions; the defense ministers of each nation held a press conference and that they would "remain strategic allies." The article also goes on to mention, "We are living in the same area although we do not have the same borders, we have the same interests."

In order to have peace in the Middle East, Turkey and Israel need to be allies. Having personally traveled to Turkey in the summer of 2008, it is a beautiful country, and a powerhouse in the region. It could be considered America's "dream" for the rest of the Middle East, which is a stable Muslim democracy. The United States considers both nations key allies, since Turkey is the second largest military force in N.A.TO. and Israel has always been an ally since the 1940s. It is reassuring from the article that the two nations want to be allies because recently there has been tension from the two sides.

Last year, an article by the Economist goes into great detail about how Turkey has been shifting from working closely to the European Union and "western" nations, (while Turkey has struggled to enter the E.U.) to focusing more on the Middle East nations not as friendly to the West such as Syria and Iran. One major point was when they denied US military access to invade Iraq in 2003. It also mentions how public opinion "has turned increasingly hostile to Israel" in Turkey.

In the article by Katz, it also talks about recent tensions between the two nations such as when: "Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon summoned Turkish Ambassador Ahemt Oguz Celikkol to complain about an anti-Israeli TV show. The ambassador was forced to sit on a low sofa without a handshake, while Ayalon explained to local TV stations that the humiliation was intentional. Outraged, Turkey threatened to recall the ambassador, forcing Ayalon to apologize."

I think the real reason why Turkey and Israel has shown tensions recently is because of the situation between Israel and Gaza and no peace plan has been brokered. Another Jerusalem Post article mentions that "Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who was mediating indirect talks between Israel and Syria, felt personally betrayed" after Israel used military force in Gaza last winter.

The Israeli/Palestinian conflict seems to be creating tension between Israel and Turkey. I am glad the original article says they want to continue to be allies, but unless a peace deal is brokered between Israel and Gaza, Turkey could align with the rest of the Middle East. If they do, Israel's relationship with Turkey would be in jeopardy and they could lose a huge ally in the region. It would also create a ton of controversy with the rest of N.A.T.O and the European Union, which I am sure the Obama Administration does not want. President Obama needs to make sure a peace plan is created between Israel and Palestine, (which all of his predecessors have failed), to ensure there is peace in the region, and continue our strong relationships with Turkey and Israel, which would also allow Turkey and Israel to continue their relationship, and be prosperous superpowers of the region.

Note: Article created for a school assignment.