Ron Ben-Yishai, a leading Israeli defense analyst. In his report to the defense department. He reportedly has warned Tel Aviv that since the AKP’s rise to power under Turkish prime minister Recep Erdogan Tayyip – the Turkish-Israeli relations have been going down the hill – in foreign policy, military and trade sectors. Ron Ben-Yishai believes that Israel has lost Turkey as its strategic ally as result of Ankara’s postponing indefinitely the annual air force drill aka ‘Anatolian Eagle’ rather allowing Israeli air force to participate in it – followed by Turkey’s cancelling of close to one billion dollar worth military contracts with Israel. He reported that both Israeli government and its military establishment is seeking a substitute for Ankara, “a task that would prove difficult”.
Ron Ben-Yishai’s views on “Strategic blow to Israel”, received, as expected, most racist and ic remarks from Israeli daily Ynet readers. The best one is “Turkey need another Atta Turk (a Crypto-Jew) to save that nation otherwise in future we will see fanatic’s regime like Mullah’s in Iran, democracy in the Islamic nations is impossible.”
Several other Israeli analysts agree with Ron Ben-Yishai view that “Israel cannot afford to loose Turkey as its strategic ally”. For example, Amikam Nachmani, a senior researcher at Bar IIan University wrote in Israel daily Ha’aretz: “A close relationship with Turkey is of supreme importance to Israel. We must not qurrel with Erdogan. Instead, we need to find a way to blunt the crisis and repair ties. This will be an urgent mission for the new government in Jerusalem.” Otherwise, he warned, “Israel could be pushing Turkey into the arms of Iran.”
Turks have not forgotten Israeli involvement in Ergenekon Plot to topple AKP government and bring pro-Israel Kemalist army in power. Turkey’s parliament Foreign Policy Committee spokesperson, Suat Kikniklioglu, confirmed this: “We need to be clear, the strategic relation between Turkey and Israel is no longer as it was in the late 1990s”. Ofra Bengio, an Israeli expert on Turkey at Mosehe Dayan Center for Middle East and African relations, too, believes: “In Davutoglu’s (Turkish Foreign Minister) ideological framework (being an Islamist), Israel doesn’t play a centre role. Things have changed”.
The main reason behind Turkey’s domestic and international policy lies the fact that the pro-western Kemalist Generals have lost their ‘absolute power’ to the civilian government. Lale Kemal, an Ankara-based military analyst: “We should bear in mind that the balance of power (in Turkey) is shifting toward civilian authority. Despite the military’s plan for the excercise, which included Israel, the government asked them (the Generals) to exclude it. Had it been to Army, the excercises would have continued as planned, but the military cannot dictate its policies on the government as it used to. The equation is changing. We see this in other areas and in Turkish-Israeli relation also. The military cannot dictate its positions all the time right now”.
Bluent Aliriza, associated with the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Zionist Israeli thin tank, said: “They (AKP government) are forcing the limits of their ability to maintain relation with both side (Muslim world vs Zionist world). Turkey has every right to open up to the Middle East and criticize Israel, but the impression is being developed that Turkey is developing its relationship in the Middle East at the expense of Israel”.
Elcano Royal Institute’s recent Report on Turkey’s rise as a regional power and its effects on EU (prepared by Evelina Shulz, policy adviser in the EU Parliament), has stated: “Turkey’s enhanced profile as a regional player is also true as regards its geopolitical impact in the EU’s southern neighbourhood. Especially in the Middle East, Turkey has played an active role in mediating between conflicting parties in recent years. Turkey’s activities include the offer to mediate between the US and Iran, to stabilise Iraq and to establish direct talks between Syria and Israel, while also promoting the reconciliation of the Palestinian factions……”
As expected, Erdogan has become the target of ‘character assassination’ by the Zionazi mafia – even though he is on record of refusing to agree with the Opposition call to sever diplomatic relation with the Zionist entity, by saying: “Turkey’s foreign relations are not emotional but are conducted with reason….Dear friends, we are not running a supermarket here, we are running the Republic of Turkey.”
Ankara-Tehran relations are as good as ever. Iran has become Turkey’s second largest trade partner (US$10 billion) after the US. Turkey supports Iran’s civilian nuclear program. On Monday, Erdogan alongwith two of his cabinet ministers and several MPs will be paying an official visit to Tehran – where he will hold meetings with Dr. Ahmadinejad and the Speaker of Majilis (Parliament). He also intends to meet the Rehbar in Qom.
http://rehmat1.wordpress.com/2009/10/26/israel-has-lost-turkey-as-strategic-ally/
