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Last update - 00:22 01/01/2009
ANALYSIS / Gaza op has put an end to Israel's honeymoon with Turkey
By Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: Israel News, Israel, Hamas 

Israel's Gaza operation has put an end to the honeymoon period in Turkish-Israeli relations and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's good relationship with his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The two leaders had become close amid Ankara's mediation between Israel and Syria. Since Operation Cast Lead began, however, links between them have been almost completely severed.

The offensive caught Erdogan completely by surprise. Just four days earlier, Olmert had hosted him in his office until late into the night to talk about Syria. The Gaza issue hardly came up at all, and he was given no inkling of the punishment his hosts were planning to inflict on Hamas in the Strip.


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A day after the offensive began, Erdogan issued a scathing indictment against Israel and Olmert in particular. "He betrayed me and harmed the honor of Turkey," he said.

Erdogan advisers, who participated in the Syria talks, expressed frustration and disappointment at Israel's actions: "We were so close to direct talks, and this operation ruined everything."

Despite Erdogan's public excoriation, communication with Olmert's staff continued behind closed doors. When the Turkish prime minister visited Damascus in an attempt to formulate a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas, his adviser, Ahmet Davutoglu, held extended talks with Hamas political bureau chief Khaled Meshal.

After the meeting, according to both Turkish and Israeli officials, Davutoglu contacted Olmert adviser Shalom Turgeman and asked if Israel favored a cease-fire.

Meanwhile, Ankara rejected an offer from Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni several days ago to visit the Turkish capital. "If she doesn't want to talk about a cease-fire, she shouldn't come," was the official response.

In Jerusalem, the staff of the Prime Minister's Office continue to dismiss talk of a fall out with Israel's erstwhile ally, chalking up Erdogan's tough talk to upcoming elections. "Our relations won't be hurt -they will remain strategic," they said.




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      2.   No idea how harmful 00:09  |  Sam 01/01/09
      3.   If Turkey can`t differentiate between Hamas and Fatah... 00:20  |  Gili 01/01/09
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      6.   Turkey 00:21  |  Maerton 01/01/09
      7.   # Sam 00:09  |  ANUAR AL SADAT 01/01/09
      8.   Turkey is slowly turning Islamist 00:54  |  SystemF 01/01/09
      9.   ""He betrayed me and harmed the honor of Turkey," 00:10  |  Jew- and Bookburner 01/01/09
      10.   Re: The honeymoon with the idea of an independent Palestin 00:37  |  Howell 01/01/09
      11.   Turkey has its own conflicts 00:15  |  Anonymous 01/01/09
      12.   The sick man of Europe 00:30  |  Anonymous 01/01/09
      13.   howell,the jordanian and egyptians dealt their palestinian 00:20  |  terrornator 01/01/09
      14.   Turkey-Israel 00:53  |  MC 01/01/09
      15.   Turkey-Israel 3 00:02  |  MC 01/01/09
      16.   Erdogan`s Hypocrisy 00:20  |  David Israel 01/01/09
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      18.   Not Surprising As Turkey Will Participate 00:27  |  Gary 01/01/09
      19.   Gil from haifa - I wish you had never posted this 00:27  |  David Israel 01/01/09
      20.   Turkey-Israel (final) 00:32  |  MC 01/01/09
      21.   MC - from Chicago 00:45  |  David Israel 01/01/09
      22.   to "disappointed Turk" 00:22  |  a Turk 01/01/09
      23.   MC - about trying something different 00:35  |  David Israel 01/01/09
      24.   a Turk 2nd try 00:21  |  David Israel 01/01/09
      25.   a Turk 3rd try 00:22  |  David Israel 01/01/09
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      28.   Paranoia 00:55  |  Drew 01/01/09
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      34.   common points 00:38  |  ahmet 01/01/09
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      37.   PM of Turkey is working against the interest of west and Israel 00:42  |  Jaff Sassani 01/01/09
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