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World Jewish News
Israel and Turkey in quiet talks to end diplomatic crisis in days
05.03.2009
Israel and Turkey are involved in quiet but intensive talks to end the crisis in relations between the two countries. According to a senior Jerusalem source, officials from both countries have exchanged messages regarding the need to restore relations to an even keel and hope to do so in the coming days.
The communication exchange follows a letter that Turkish President Abdullah Gul sent President Shimon Peres a few weeks ago, in which he expressed the desire to visit Israel in the coming months.
The senior government official said the positive messages increased after Israel wrote the Turkish prime minister's bureau and the Turkish army that Maj. Gen. Avi Mizrachi had been reprimanded for criticizing Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan during a lecture. After receiving clarifications, Turkey told Israel it viewed the matter as closed.
The messages sent by Israel and Turkey stressed the strategic value of their relationship.
Relations between Ankara and Jerusalem have been strained since Operation Cast Lead, but the rancor reached a new high during a public debate between Peres and Erdogan at the Davos Forum in Switzerland last month. In response to Erdogan's sharp public criticism, Peres raised his voice and hinted that Erdogan's statements contained untruths. Erdogan angrily stalked offstage in response.
Relations between Ankara and Jerusalem have been strained since Operation Cast Lead. Erdogan was reportedly insulted when Prime Minister Ehud Olmert visited Ankara a few days before the operation and did not tell him about his plans.
Erdogan said Olmert had "betrayed him and stabbed him in the back," and began to sharply criticize Israel, saying Israel had committed war crimes in Gaza and calling on United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to have Israel ousted from the UN.
By Barak Ravid
Источник: Haaretz
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