For most of the past decade, Turkey has been a pivotal regional ally of Israel as well as a mediator with neighboring Arab states. It positioned itself as a chief power broker in the region allied with the West, Israel and Arab countries. During this time, Europe and the United States continually encouraged Turkey to expand its influence in the region and become a familiar voice for democracy and tolerance. Epitomizing Turkey’s western allegiances, in 2005 the European Union began accession negotiations with Turkey, a critical step towards full membership.
However, the past two years have witnessed a disheartening diversion from the blossoming relationship between Turkey and Israel and, more broadly, with Europe and the United States. Two significant events illustrate the recent strain to Turkish-Israeli relations. First, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Erdoğan delivered a face-to-face scolding to Israeli President Shimon Peres at the World Economic Forum in 2009. While this behavior is hardly atypical for Erdoğan, such a direct public castigation is certainly a rarity on the international stage. Second, Israeli soldiers raided the Mavi Marmara flotilla in 2010 after the ship attempted to run the Gaza blockade, an incident which resulted in the death of nine Turks. Turkey recalled its ambassador from Israel and continues to demand formal apology from the Israeli government.
Additionally, the Turkish-Brazilian effort to facilitate a nuclear swap with Iran last year and Turkey’s condemnation of this April’s IDF strikes in Gaza as “excessive and disproportionate” have exasperated an already deteriorating relationship, one that is crucial to the security interests of Europe and the United States.
Recently, the United States has launched a diplomatic offensive to restore Turkish-Israeli relations to pre-2009 levels. On her most recent trip to the Turkey last month, U.S. Secretary of State Hilary Clinton met with Turkish President Abdullah Gül, Prime Minister Erdoğan and Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu to stress that the United States considers Turkish-Israeli rapprochement a primary concern and of great regional significance. Likewise, during Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak’s visit to Washington, Obama administration officials expressed similar sentiments, emphasizing an apology for Mavi Marmara could make significant inroads in soothing the current discord.
Restoring positive relations between Turkey and Israel is about more than just realizing the dividends of peace in the Middle East, albeit important. The revolutions of the Arab Spring have clarified Turkey’s strategic importance to the United States and Europe. The United States has long enjoyed its alliance with Turkey. As a democratic nation with a majority Muslim population, it is well positioned to affect positive change in a region reluctant to accept Western pressures.
Likewise, the benefits of a strategic relationship with the West, including Israel, have become more apparent to Turkey. In the absence of Turkey, Israel has reached out to other European allies, specifically Greece and Cyprus. Such relationships are troubling in the eyes of the Turks due to ongoing conflicts with those neighboring nations. Moreover, Turkey’s Eastern allies have also come under much international scrutiny given the burgeoning rebellion in Syria and the increasing isolation of Iran. Turkey has gone so far as to join the international chorus criticizing Syria by raising in a press release “suspicions regarding the intentions and sincerity of the Syrian administration to resolve the issue through peaceful methods.”
All in all, the recent events in the Middle East provide a golden opportunity for Turkey to realign itself with the United States and Europe. This must begin with Turkish-Israeli reconciliation with the hope of returning the relationship to its former glory. Given the popular support Prime Ministers Netanyahu and Erdoğan enjoy within their respective nations, there are no better leaders to initiate such a rapprochement. And given the unfolding events in Syria and the Middle East, there is no better nor more critical a time for such a rapprochement to occur.
James is a policy consultant and currently resides in Washington, DC. He advises top policymakers on issues of international relations.
- 2
August 21, 2011
Ugur Bozkurt, Student, Bronze Contributor (14)
I mostly agree with your article, especially that Turkey should again aproach the West, but have also to disagree with a few points :
1. "Epitomizing Turkey’s western allegiances, in 2005 the European Union began accession negotiations with Turkey, a critical step towards full membership."
That critical step toward full membership wont happen, The
European Union wont just take a muslim state with borders to instable countries as a full member. I have always to hit on the phrase created by Angela Merkel of granting Turkey a "privileged partnership", but the discussions of a full membership will always end in a "No", as it is the right of the European Union, because of the many flaws regarding human rights and so in Turkey...I just wonder, what would happen, if Turkey really would smooth this hindrances out. Would the EU discover "new" problems regarding full membership ? I think so. The dragging of that issue goes on now for 50 years, a hit in the face of the Turkish administration was the (really) fast embracing of Bulgary and Romania into the EU. Not many Turks understood, why those states just were took in so fast despite of the problems they have.
2. "....Turkey’s Eastern allies have also come under much international scrutiny given the burgeoning rebellion in Syria and the increasing isolation of Iran. "
If you are implying that Syria and Iran are Eastern allies of Turkey, I think you are wrong, but Turkey has to cope with those neighbours. Iran is a Shiit state, Turkey is Sunni, thats a real gap, even if it is not said loud. Turkey just tries to cope with the situation, that a direct neighbour maybe an atomic power the coming years, so, yes, they will talk with the devil, its similar with Syria. Turkey shares a common border with Syria, and as long as they were no trouble from Syria, nobody said a thing about whats happening there, with the uprising of the people, the turkish administration changed their agenda towards Syria and began critizising Assad and instantly opened a camp for refugees for the Syrian people.Turkey tries to stay on the top of the events that are happening in the region and so far, they seem to make not so a bad job after all. If that means, that they have to cut back on the western allies, Erdogan will do that, not gladly, but because he maybe must. Its easy for the EU and US to criticize the political agenda of Erdogan (and dont misunderstand me, i dont like that guy.), but it is another thing, if you are a regional power sitting on a powder keg.
With best regards,
Ugur Bozkurt