Israel–Turkey relations

Israeli–Turkish relations are the bilateral ties between the State of Israel and the Republic of Turkey. Israel–Turkey relations were formalized in March 1949,Abadi, pg. 6 when Turkey was the first Muslim majority country to recognize the State of Israel. Both countries gave high priority to military, strategic, and diplomatic cooperation, while sharing concerns with respect to the regional instabilities in the Middle East. Despite relations between the two countries having increasingly deteriorated in recent decades, the two countries normalized relations in 2022.

Overview

In 1999, the ''New York Times'' reported that the strategic partnership between Turkey and Israel had the potential to alter Middle East politics: Trade and tourism were booming, the Israel Air Force practiced maneuvers in Turkish airspace and Israeli technicians were modernizing Turkish combat jets. There were also plans for high-tech cooperation and water sharing.

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan paid an official visit to Israel in 2005 and he hoped to play a role in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. Relations deteriorated after the 2008–09 Gaza War and the 2010 Gaza flotilla raid. In March 2013, Israel apologized for the raid, opening a path for normalized relations. Alleged Turkish involvement in exposure of Israeli special agents in Iran in October 2013 created further tension. In December 2015, Turkey and Israel held a secret meeting to negotiate restoration of diplomatic relations. They reached an agreement on 27 June 2016 to start normalizing ties.

In December 2017, Erdoğan threatened to break off ties again, this time due to United States recognition of Jerusalem as capital of Israel.

History

The predecessor of Turkey, the Ottoman Empire, welcomed Jewish refugees due to effort by Sultan Bayezid II, and Bayezid II's effort had helped Jews to survive in difficult time. Thus, as for the result, the Jews were fiercely loyal to the Ottoman Empire and many had fled to the Ottoman Empire when anti-Ottoman rebellions began in the Balkans alongside intensified persecutions on Jews in Russian Empire and Western Europe. Zionist leader Theodor Herzl even asked then-Ottoman Sultan, Abdul Hamid II, to acquire Palestine and fulfil the promise of returning to Zion.

However, with the rise of Turkish nationalism in late 19th century, Jews started to bear pressure, as the Young Turks government were determined to Turkify all non-Turk subjects, including Jews. Eventually, with the outbreak of World War I, the Ottoman Empire had begun losing its tolerance toward Jews, and openly demonstrated systematic oppression and deportation on the Jewish subjects, accusing them of collaborating with the British Empire. Many Jews were also either suspected to be Russian agents, since most Jews migrated to Palestine were from Russia at the time, despite various figures like David Ben-Gurion and Yitzhak Ben-Zvi sought to ally with Turkey, eventually led to deportation and repression on Jews intensified. The hostility against Ottoman Empire among Jews increased leading to the establishment of Nili, a Jewish episonage spy network fighting the Ottomans, but they were exposed in 1917 and only escaped from the genocide that Ottoman Armenians, Greeks and Assyrians endured due to political intervention from Germany and Vatican. Desipite this, the Tel Aviv and Jaffa deportation, issued by Djemal Pasha in 1917 in retaliation to the Jewish spy ring, was the final string of this hostility, during which thousands of Jews were killed, has continued to weigh influence on the modern Israeli–Turkish relations as well as Israel's relations with Turkic world.This Day in Jewish History 1917: Ottoman Authority Orders Jews to Evacuate Tel Aviv
Ha'aretz, David B. Green, 6 April 2014Genocide: The Basics
Paul R. Bartrop, page 36

Diplomatic relations

Initial contacts

Although it had voted against the United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine, Turkey recognized the State of Israel in 1949. Turkey's first diplomatic mission in Israel was a "Legation" and was officially inaugurated on 7 January 1950 and the first Turkish Chief of Mission, Seyfullah Esin presented his credentials to Chaim Weizmann, President of Israel. However, the Turkish Legation was downgraded to the level of "Charge d’Affaires" after the Suez Canal Crisis on 26 November 1956.

In 1958, Israeli prime minister David Ben-Gurion and Turkish prime minister Adnan Menderes met secretly to discuss a " peripheral pact" which included public-relations campaigns, exchange of intelligence information and military support.Timeline of Turkish-Israeli Relations, 1949–2006
In 1967, Turkey joined the Arab condemnation of Israel after the Six-Day War and called for Israel's withdrawal from the occupied territories but abstained from voting in favor of a clause referring to Israel as an "aggressor state." At a meeting of the Organization of the Islamic Conference in Rabat, Morocco, Turkey opposed a resolution calling for severing diplomatic relations with Israel.

As a result of positive developments in bilateral ties, the Turkish mission in Tel-Aviv was upgraded back to the level of "Legation" in July 1963 and further upgraded to the level of "Embassy" as of January 1980.

Upon Israel's annexation of East Jerusalem and enunciation of Jerusalem as its eternal capital, the representation was relegated to the level of "Second Secretary" on 30 November 1980.

During the 1990s

The positive atmosphere in the Israeli–Palestinian peace process in the early 1990s made it possible to raise the mutual diplomatic relations once again to Ambassadorial level and a Turkish Ambassador presented his credentials to President Chaim Herzog, on 23 March 1992, in Tel Aviv.

Israel has maintained two diplomatic missions in Turkey: its embassy is located in the capital city of Ankara, and its Consulate General is located in Turkey's largest city, Istanbul. Until the recent downgrading in relations, the Israeli ambassador to Turkey was Gabby Levy, and the Israeli consul-general was Mordechai Amihai. These missions are responsible for Israeli consular affairs for the Marmara, Aegean, Eastern Thrace and western part of the Black Sea regions of Turkey.

After AKP ascendancy

In Turkey 2002 election the Justice and Development Party, also known as AKP, won a landslide victory. Prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan visited Israel in 2005 offering to serve as a Middle East peace mediator and looking to build up trade and military ties. Erdoğan brought a large group of businessmen on his two-day trip, which included talks with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and President Moshe Katsav. Erdoğan also laid a wreath at the Holocaust memorial, Yad Vashem. Erdoğan told Sharon that his Justice and Development Party regarded anti-Semitism as "a crime against humanity." He added that Iran's nuclear ambitions were a threat not just to Israel but to "the entire world."

In early 2006, the Israeli Foreign Ministry described its country's relations with Turkey as "perfect." A joint Israeli-Palestinian industrial park was being developed under Turkey's aegis. Israeli President Shimon Peres and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas addressed the Grand National Assembly of Turkey a day apart. Peres described Turkey as an "important player in the Middle East in relation to the United States, Syria and the Palestinians, as well as us." According to a report in the '' Jerusalem Post'', a spokeswoman for the Syrian Foreign Ministry said that Turkey was serving as a "channel of communication" between Syria and Israel.

On a three-day visit to Ankara in November 2007, Israeli President Shimon Peres met with Turkish President Abdullah Gül, and addressed the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. Gül promised to help free three abducted Israeli soldiers: Gilad Shalit, Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev.

Deterioration of relations

The Turkish government's condemnation of the 2008–2009 Israel–Gaza conflict strained relations between the two countries. In December 1987, Turkey had already declared support for the Palestinians' right to self-determination. In 2004, Turkey had denounced Israeli assassination of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin. It described Israeli policy in the Gaza Strip as "state-sponsored terrorism"."Turkey rallies to Gaza's plight"
BBC News by Sarah Rainsford (BBC Istanbul), Friday, 16 January 2009 There were demonstrations across Turkey against Israeli actions in Gaza.

On 5 March 2009, the Israeli daily newspaper '' Haaretz'' reported that "secret reconciliation talks at the highest level" had been held to get the Israeli-Turkish relations back on track. This report was cited in the Turkish press.

On 11 October 2009, a military aerial exercise was to consist of Turkey, Israel, the United States, and Italy. However, Turkey barred Israel from the Anatolian Eagle military exercise.

In October 2009, following Turkey's banning Israel's participation in the Anatolian Eagle military exercise, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu objected to Turkey as a mediator, stating "Turkey can't be nhonest broker", between Syria and Israel.

Erdoğan harshly criticized Israel's conduct in Gaza at the World Economic Forum conference in Davos, Switzerland in January 2009. After the assembled audience applauded Peres, Erdoğan said: "I find it very sad that people applaud what you said. You killed people. And I think that it is very wrong." The moderator, ''Washington Post'' columnist David Ignatius asked Erdoğan to finish, saying that people needed to go to dinner. Erdoğan complained about the fact, that he was given 12 minutes to talk, whereas Peres talked for a duration of 25 minutes. Erdoğan then proceeded to leave the stage.

In October 2009, '' Ayrılık'', a prime-time serial on Turkish state television channel TRT 1 featured fictionalized scenes of Israeli soldiers shooting Palestinian children and mistreating elderly Arabs. Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman criticized the program, and rebuked the Turkish Ambassador in front of assembled media. Lieberman subsequently apologized after Turkey threatened to withdraw its ambassador.

After Hamas leader Khaled Mashal paid an official visit to Turkey, relations began to cool off. In January 2010, Israel protested when an episode ("Ambush") of the Turkish soap opera ''Valley of the Wolves'' depicted Israeli intelligence spying inside Turkey and kidnapping Turkish babies. The series depicted a fictional Mossad attack on the Turkish embassy in Tel Aviv in which the ambassador and his family are taken hostage. On 11 January 2010, Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon met with Turkish ambassador Ahmet Oğuz Çelikkol, who was seated on a stool that was lower than Ayalon's. Ayalon allegedly turned to his aide and quipped, "The main thing is that you see that he is seated low and that we are high ... that there is one flag on the table (the Israeli flag) and that we are not smiling."

Moshe Ya'alon, Israel's Minister of Strategic Affairs, accused Turkey of cooperating with Hamas and Iran. According to the Shin Bet, Hamas established a command post in Turkey and has used it to recruit operatives and oversee operations in the Middle East. David Ignatius has reported that in 2012, Turkey revealed the names of Mossad agents to Iran.

Gaza Flotilla incident

On 31 May 2010, nine activists (eight Turkish citizens and one Turkish-American with dual citizenship) were killed and many more wounded by Israeli troops and seven Israeli soldiers were injured on the ''Mavi Marmara'', part of the "Gaza Freedom Flotilla", a convoy of six ships carrying 663 people from 37 nations, including pro- Palestinian activists. Following the raid, which took place in the Mediterranean Sea in international waters, tension between the two countries mounted. One of the ships taking part was flying a Turkish flag. Turkish Prime Minister Erdoğan described the raid as "state terrorism". Turkey recalled its ambassador from Israel, and summoned the Israeli ambassador to demand an explanation. The Turkish Foreign Ministry stated that the incident could lead to irreparable consequences in bilateral relations.

On 2 September 2011, Turkey downgraded diplomatic ties with Israel and suspended military co-operation after the UN released its report of the Mavi Marmara raid. A statement from the Israeli prime minister's office said, "Israel hopes to find a way to overcome the dispute and will continue to work towards this goal". Turkey demanded an Israeli apology and compensation over 31 May 2010 incident aboard the Mavi Marmara in which eight Turkish nationals and an American man of Turkish descent died when the vessel was stormed by Israeli commandos. The Israeli government refused to give one., "Turkey downgrades ties with Israel"

In September 2011, Turkey expelled Israel's ambassador after a UN report found that the blockade of Gaza was legal according to international law although excessive force was used when boarding the ship. Israeli officials stated that they hoped to restore ties but reiterated that they would not apologize. Hamas praised Turkey's decision.

Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, Turkey's opposition leader, condemned the downgrade in relations with Israel, stating "No good can come of it and there is no need for us to risk our interest with petty action." Faruk Logoglu, a deputy chairman of the opposition Republican People's Party, criticized Erdoğan, stating that "The probability that (Turkey's ruling) party has carried Turkey to the brink of a hot conflict is saddening and unacceptable." Alon Liel, a former Israeli ambassador to Turkey, stated that it was unlikely that Turkish forces would penetrate Israeli waters, but speculated that Turkey might to disrupt future Israeli gas exports to Cyprus and warned of a new Turkish-Egyptian alliance that could isolate Israel in the Mediterranean.Turkey: Israel possibly target of more sanctions
by Selcan Hacaoglu and Aron Heller, ''Huffington Post'', 6 September 2011.

Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak predicted that the rift would pass in time. At the U.N. General Assembly in September 2011, U.S. President Barack Obama asked Erdoğan to resolve the crisis with Israel.

Further Turkish actions (2012–13)

The Turkish Foreign Ministry called on the international community and the United Nations to take the necessary initiatives to stop Israel's military operation in Gaza on late 2012, which it described as another example of Israel's hostile policies. Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu see in this attack another of Israel's "crimes of humanity." Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused the United Nations on 19 November of failing to act over the deadly Israeli air bombardments of Gaza, calling Israel a "terrorist state" that "massacres innocent children".

During his speech in Vienna on 1 March 2013 at a United Nations event, Turkish Prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan devoted to dialogue between the West and Islam, decrying the rising racism in Europe and the fact that many Muslims "who live in countries other than their own" often face harsh discrimination. Erdoğan described Zionism as "a crime against humanity" saying, "It is necessary that we must consider—just like Zionism, or anti-Semitism, or fascism—Islamophobia." In an interview to the Euronews, Shimon Peres argued that Erdoğan's statements are based on ignorance and they raise the flames of hatred. On 20 March, Erdoğan began an official visit to Denmark with an effort to clarify his remarks he made on 27 February at a UN conference in Vienna referring to Zionism as a crime against humanity. "Let no one misunderstand what I said. Everyone knows that my criticism f Israelfocuses on some critical issues. It's directed especially toward Israeli policies on Gaza," Erdoğan said in an interview with Politiken, a Danish newspaper. Erdoğan claimed February comments were not anti-Semitic but rather a criticism of Israel's policies.

Reconciliation attempts

On 22 March 2013, Netanyahu called Erdoğan and apologized for the Gaza Flotilla incident. In an official statement the Israeli government expressed regret over deterioration in bilateral relations and described the incident as unintentional, regretful and marred by "operational errors". Erdogan later issued a statement accepting the apology on behalf of the Turkish people. Israel also said it would compensate the victims' families. Israel initially declared that the countries had agreed to restore normal diplomatic relations, including the return of ambassadors and cancellation of Turkish legal proceedings ''in absentia'' against Israeli troops involved in the raid, but this statement was later omitted.

U.S. President Barack Obama, whose visit to Israel coincided with these events and was credited with brokering the reconciliation, said that the U.S. "attached great importance to the restoration of positive relations between srael and Turkeyin order to advance regional peace and security."

Further tension

In August 2013, Erdoğan told AKP's provincial chairs that Israel was responsible for the July 2013 overthrow of Mohamed Morsi. He based this claim on a video posted by Tzipi Livni speaking to French intellectual Bernard-Henri Levy during which Levy said: "The Muslim Brotherhood will not be in power even if they win the elections, because democracy is not the ballot box." However, according to ''Hürriyet'', Levy actually said: "If the Muslim Brotherhood arrives in Egypt, I will not say democracy wants it, so let democracy progress. Democracy is not only elections, it is also values...I will urge the prevention of he Muslim Brotherhoodcoming to power, but by all sorts of means."Israel behind coup to oust Morsi, Turkish PM Erdoğan says
, ''Hürriyet''

The Israeli Foreign Ministry stated that Erdoğan's accusation was "a statement well worth not commenting on." Egypt's interim government rejected Erdoğan's claim, describing it as "baseless," "very bewildering," and charged that "its purpose asto strike at the unity of Egyptians."

With the scandal over alleged Turkish involvement in exposure of Israeli special agents in Iran in October 2013, the relations between Israel and Turkey declined further.

Normalisation of diplomatic ties (2015–present)

In December 2015, Turkey and Israel began talks to restore diplomatic ties;Turkey and Israel are in talks to restore diplomatic ties
'' LA Times'', 23 December 2013. however disagreements between the sides continue.Turkey Conditions Normalized Ties With Israel on 'Unrestricted Access' to Gaza
'' Haaretz'', 26 December 2015.

March 2016 Istanbul bombing

On 19 March 2016, a suicide bombing by ISIL took place in Istanbul's Beyoğlu district. Among those killed were two dual Israel-US nationals and one Israeli national. Following the attack Erdogan wrote a letter of condolences to Israeli President Reuven Rivlin, saying he was "very sorry" to hear that three Israelis were killed and 10 wounded in the attack. The letter stated: "I want to send my deepest condolences to the Israeli people and the families that lost their loved ones in this traitorous attack."

On 20 March, Dore Gold, the director-general of the Israeli Foreign Ministry, came to Istanbul to hold talks with the undersecretary of the Turkish Foreign Ministry Feridun Sinirlioğlu and the governor of Istanbul Vasip Şahin about the ISIL attack. On 21 March, Gold thanked the Turkish government for what it did in the aftermath of the attack and underlined the need for an alliance in the fight against terror. Furthermore, he said: "I want to thank first and foremost the government of Turkey, which did everything to its capacity and helped the families of Israelis that came to take care of beloved ones. It helped us to get through any bureaucracy in the Turkish hospitals and bring the wounded as well as deceased back home to Israel."

Reconciliation agreement

A reconciliation agreement was announced on 27 June 2016 to end the six-year rift in the relation between both countries.
*The Turkish Parliament will pass a law canceling all appeals against Israeli soldiers involved in the killing of nine Turkish citizens during the Gaza flotilla raid and will also block any future claims.
*Commitment to stop terrorist or military activity against Israel on Turkish soil including funding and aid to such activities from Turkey. Palestinian movement Hamas will be allowed to operate on Turkish soil but only as a political movement.
*Turkey will accept to send all aid to the Gaza Strip through Israel and then from Israel to Gaza on land.
*Israel will allow Turkey to advance humanitarian projects in the Gaza Strip, such as building an hospital, power station and a desalination station, all subjected to Israeli security considerations
*Israel will give $20 million as compensation for the families of those who died and were injured in the raid. The money will be transferred through a humanitarian fund in Turkey. An Israel official said the money will be transferred only after the Turkish parliament will pass the law renouncing all appealings against Israeli soldiers involved in the incident.
*The two countries will start a process of renormalizing their relations, reappointing ambassadors to Ankara and Tel Aviv and ending all sanctions between the two.

The agreement was approved by the Israeli security cabinet by a vote of 7–3 on 29 June.

The agreement was then approved by the Turkish parliament on 20 August 2016. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan then signed the agreement on 31 August.

On 7 October, Turkey named foreign policy expert Kemal Okem as ambassador to Israel. Israel's decision to name an ambassador was later postponed.

On 15 November, Israel named Eitan Na'eh as ambassador to Turkey. In a reciprocal move, Erdogan confirmed on 16 November the nomination of Kemal Okem as Turkish ambassador to Israel. Na'eh arrived in Ankara on 31 November. Turkey also agreed to drop charges against four Israeli soldiers on 8 December. On 12 December, Okem arrived in Jerusalem.

US recognition of Jerusalem

On 14 May 2018, after the United States recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and rioting broke out, Erdoğan accused Israel of carrying out a "genocide" and behaving like a "terrorist state". The Turkish government also declared a three-day national mourning. The next day Turkey expelled the Israeli ambassador and withdrew its ambassador in Tel Aviv for consultations. In response, Israel expelled Turkey's consul in Jerusalem. Israeli Agriculture Minister Uri Ariel ordered the freezing of import of agricultural produce from Turkey.

On Twitter, Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu described Erdogan as one of Hamas's biggest supporters and suggested that he not preach morality to Israel. Erdoğan called Israel an apartheid state which has occupied a defenseless people's lands for 60+ yrs in violation of UN resolutions. He said that Netanyahu had the blood of Palestinians on his hands and should not cover up his crimes by attacking Turkey.

In a joint news conference with British Prime Minister Theresa May in London, Erdoğan said Turkey would never accept Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and called on the international community and the U.N. "to act without wasting time and stop this oppression" in Palestine.

Erdoğan tweeted that Hamas was not a terrorist organization but a resistance movement that defends the Palestinian homeland against an occupying power. Netanyahu responded that "A man who sends thousands of Turkish soldiers to hold the occupation of northern Cyprus and invades Syria will not preach to us when we defend ourselves from an attempted infiltration by Hamas." He added that "A man whose hands are stained with the blood of countless Kurdish citizens in Turkey and Syria is the last one who can preach to us about combat ethics," At a dinner in Ankara Erdogan said that "If the silence on Israel’s tyranny continues, the world will rapidly be dragged into a chaos where banditry prevails,"

On 17 May, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said that Israel should be taken to the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity and Turkey was providing the Palestinians with legal assistance towards this end.

On 18 May, leaders of the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation member states gathered in Istanbul to attend an extraordinary summit, called by Turkey, to show solidarity with the Palestinian people, to denounce the relocation of the United States embassy to Jerusalem and the Israeli attacks against Palestinians. At the same time, thousands gathered in Istanbul's Yenikapı fairgrounds to show solidarity with Palestinians, including the Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım, Nationalist Movement Party leader Devlet Bahçeli, and Great Union Party

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